The “Bella Ciao” vocalist says she and Tyler ICU are working towards revisiting the project that helped introduce her to a wider Amapiano audience
Nicole Elocin has revealed that she and Tyler ICU are looking to reunite for Money Heist 2, potentially marking a return to the collaborative project that produced one of the defining records of her early career.
Speaking to TheJournalistDJ.com at Scorpion Kings Live, Elocin offered a glimpse into what she has been working on while reflecting on her journey, her relationship with DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small, and unreleased music created during a Sony writing camp.
Asked what she has been up to since her previous conversation with TheJournalistDJ.com, Elocin said she has continued releasing singles and EPs before dropping the biggest hint of the interview.
“Soon we’re trying to do Money Heist 2 with Tyler ICU. So, like, Bella Ciao times two, basically.”
She stopped short of revealing further details about the project, adding: “I can’t say more than that for now.”
“We’re trying to do Money Heist 2”
The potential sequel would reconnect Elocin with a significant chapter in her career.
When pressed on whether she and Tyler ICU were preparing to “do the heist again”, the singer remained deliberately mysterious.
“I said what I said,”
she responded.
While no release date, tracklist or additional collaborators were revealed during the interview, Elocin returned to the project when asked whether there was anything else she wanted audiences to know.
“You asked me, but I’m gonna say it again: Money Heist, coming soon. That’s it. Money Heist 2.”
The comments suggest the project is firmly on her mind as she moves into the next phase of her career.
Nicole Elocin pays tribute to Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa
Being interviewed at Scorpion Kings Live also gave Elocin an opportunity to acknowledge the role Kabza De Small and DJ Maphorisa have played in her journey.
After introducing herself as “Nicole Elocin, AKA Miss Bella Ciao”, she paid tribute to both artists.
“Shout out DJ Maphorisa. Shout out Kabelo Motaung, Kabza De Small,” she said.
“If it wasn’t for y’all, I don’t know. I was just gonna be another somebody. Shout out, you guys are doing big things. Keep doing them.”
Her comments highlighted the personal significance of attending Scorpion Kings Live, with both artists forming part of the musical ecosystem that helped shape the early stages of her career.
Unreleased music from Sony writing camp is still coming
Beyond Money Heist 2, Elocin revealed that she is sitting on more unreleased material created during a Sony writing camp.
According to the singer, several records emerged from the sessions and are still intended for release.
“We made so many hits and I’m still, like, about to drop them,” she explained. “You guys are still gonna hear that music. That music is beautiful. I still have it on my phone.”
For Elocin, getting the records out is now largely a question of finding the right moment.
“It’s just about timing and planning, but that music is still gonna be released.”
She also encouraged emerging musicians to take advantage of writing camps, describing them as spaces where artists can connect and discover new creative possibilities.
“There’s so much talent and music to be explored at those camps. I encourage young talent to go to those camps, for sure.”
“I view myself as a warrior”
The conversation also turned towards the experience of being a woman in the music industry, with Elocin asked whether her appearance has helped open doors or created additional challenges.
Her response was clear: she doesn’t want her career reduced to how she looks.
“I don’t view myself as a pretty girl. I view myself as a warrior. I’m my father’s daughter,”
she said.
While expressing gratitude for her appearance, Elocin argued that an artist’s character and determination matter more than beauty when building a successful career.
“If you’re a girl, even if you look good, you can still be successful,” she said. “As long as your character is out to get stuff, it’s not about the looks, for me personally.”
It is a perspective that captures where Nicole Elocin appears to find herself today: focused less on outside perceptions and more on continuing to create, release music and build on the career she has already established.
And if her repeated hints are anything to go by, the next chapter could bring her right back to where many listeners first discovered her voice.
