South African music heavyweights Zakes Bantwini and Zolani Mahola have joined creative forces for Where You Are, a new cross-cultural anthem celebrating belonging, hope, collaboration and the communities that shape the country.
A celebration of South Africa through music
Music has long been intertwined with South Africa’s history, carrying stories of struggle, protest, celebration, sorrow, spirituality and joy across generations.
For Grammy-winning musician Zakes Bantwini, that relationship is particularly visible in the country’s townships.
“Music plays an integral role in our diverse cultures; it’s part of our heritage,” says Bantwini. “But it is in the township where music really lives.”
That spirit forms the foundation of Where You Are, an original composition created to bring South Africans together through a shared celebration of culture and community.
Zakes Bantwini meets Zolani Mahola
The collaboration brings together two artists whose careers have carried distinctly South African sounds and stories onto international stages.
Bantwini teams up with acclaimed singer-songwriter Zolani Mahola to create a song intended to deliver a simple message to listeners across the country: wherever you are, you belong.
“The idea of Where You Are gave Zakes and me a reason to create something bigger than a song,” says Mahola.
“It became an anthem about belonging, about recognising one another, celebrating what we can create together, and reminding South Africans that wherever you are, you have a place in this country and in its story.”
Afro House, Afro Tech and folk collide
Musically, Where You Are draws from Afro House, Dance, Afro Tech and Folk, combining Bantwini and Mahola’s respective musical identities.
Saxophone and brass instrumentation are woven together with African percussion and rhythmic elements inspired by the musical traditions of rural South Africa.
The track also stretches across five South African languages, reinforcing its ambition to speak to audiences across different cultures and communities.
“As South Africans, we are often overlooked and undervalued, yet we can be unstoppable,” says Bantwini. “We wanted to create something that was made for all of us, in a way that resonates individually.”
Its bridge taps into the familiarity of a nostalgic nursery rhyme before returning to the central message of being present for one another:
Busuku nemini (Day and night)
Nanini nanini (Wherever, whenever)
Komkhulu nomncinci (Old and young)
Just wanna be where you are
Two artists with a history of global collaborations
Both Bantwini and Mahola have previously been involved in collaborations that introduced African music and culture to audiences around the world.
Mahola co-wrote and performed on Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) alongside Shakira for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, while Bantwini was part of the Grammy-winning Bayethe alongside Nomcebo Zikode and Wouter Kellerman.
Their meeting on Where You Are brings those respective journeys together around a distinctly South African message.
An idea born through creative collaboration
The inspiration behind Where You Are originated through a collaboration between creative agency Grid Worldwide and fintech company Lesaka Technologies.
The concept draws from the idea of meeting people “where they are”, reflecting themes of human connection, accessibility and community.
Rather than approaching the concept purely as a commercial message, Bantwini and Mahola have transformed it into a musical expression centred on recognition, unity and the idea that every South African has a place within the country’s broader story.
Where You Are is now available to stream across major digital music platforms, including Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, Deezer, Tidal and Amazon Music.
