Durban-born singer Siibu is fast becoming a name to watch, blending soulful storytelling with the rich cultural rhythm of KwaZulu-Natal.
She told TshisaLIVE her love for music started with a Beyoncé live DVD she watched “every day after school”, sparking the dream of someday owning a stage too.
With a theatre background, Siibu approaches music as performance art. “You don’t just sing a song you embody it,” she says. That philosophy shaped her recent appearance at Sunset Jazz Melodies, where she opened for Mandisi Dyantyis. “Stripping the music back made it breathe differently. It was an honour.”
Her songwriting is intuitive, inspired by personal experiences, quiet observations and long walks. Influences like Beyoncé and Zoë Modiga guide the emotional power she brings to her performances. And at the centre of it all is one theme: love “hence, Zulu lover girl”, she says with a laugh.
As an independent artist, Siibu handles everything from styling to creative direction, calling it challenging but rewarding. “Seeing what once lived in my imagination comes alive, inspires my inner child.”
She hopes to explore more songwriting for film and theatre in the future and wants her music to push others to dream boldly. “Iphupho alifi umnikazi esaphila. As long as you’re alive, the possibilities are endless.”
When she’s not making music, you’ll find her reading, journaling or hiking and always home by 7pm. Through it all, she stands firm in her identity. “I show up as myself and it’s always worked for me.”
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