{"id":1997988,"date":"2025-09-04T23:57:17","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T23:57:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=1997988"},"modified":"2025-09-04T23:57:17","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T23:57:17","slug":"nanettes-painfully-happy-blends-rb-afrobeats-amapiano","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/nanettes-painfully-happy-blends-rb-afrobeats-amapiano\/","title":{"rendered":"Nanette\u2019s \u2018Painfully Happy\u2019 Blends R&#038;B, Afrobeats &#038; Amapiano"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>At <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.okayafrica.com\/south-african-women-musicians-pushing-boundaries\/\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Nanette<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s Johannesburg album listening session, friends, music industry peers, and media professionals gathered in a space transformed into her sanctuary for the night. <\/p>\n<div class=\"rebellt-item&#10;        &#10;        &#10;        &#10;        col1\" id=\"rebelltitem1\" data-id=\"1\" data-reload-ads=\"false\" data-is-image=\"False\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.okayafrica.com\/nanette-executes-bold-rb-vision-new-album-painfully-happy\/?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1\" data-basename=\"particle-1\" data-post-id=\"2673960559\" data-published-at=\"1757000567\" data-use-pagination=\"False\">\n<p>Her portraits lined the walls, rose petals in deep crimson hues carpeted the floor, and a custom drinks menu \u2014 named after songs from her latest project, <em><em>Painfully Happy<\/em><\/em> \u2014 was placed neatly on each table, inviting guests to sip her music in liquid form.<\/p>\n<p>First introduced to audiences in 2022 with her debut, <em><em>Bad Weather<\/em><\/em>, Nanette has since become a sought-after collaborator, lending her velvet vocals to artists like <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.okayafrica.com\/tag\/nasty-c\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Nasty C<\/strong><\/a>, <strong>Kelvin Momo<\/strong>, and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.okayafrica.com\/tag\/blxckie\" target=\"_self\"><strong>Blxckie<\/strong><\/a>. Around 8 p.m., she took center stage, thanking those present before cueing up the body of work she has spent the past two years crafting. As the room swayed with her music, she moved between dancing, vibing, and reflecting on the path that led her here.<\/p>\n<p>A highlight arrived midway through the evening with \u201cAbazali,\u201d her second single off the new album, when her parents joined her for a heartfelt moment. The cheers that erupted made the performance feel even more intimate, dissolving the line between show and shared memory.<\/p>\n<p>Just a week earlier, Nanette sat down with <em><em>OkayAfrica<\/em><\/em> to unpack her creative process, her bond with R&amp;B, and the classics that echo throughout her work. True to her word, those influences surface across the album \u2014 sometimes in melodies, sometimes tucked inside lyrics \u2014 like familiar whispers reframed through her own voice.\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;\" class=\"rm-shortcode\" data-rm-shortcode-id=\"74c326e4e578388cbf3de4cdd3109bb9\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"jeg_video_container jeg_video_content\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Nanette - Abazali\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/nIraRPN7t0g?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"rebellt-item&#10;        &#10;        &#10;        &#10;        col1\" id=\"rebelltitem3\" data-id=\"3\" data-reload-ads=\"true\" data-is-image=\"False\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.okayafrica.com\/nanette-executes-bold-rb-vision-new-album-painfully-happy\/?rebelltitem=3#rebelltitem3\" data-basename=\"particle-3\" data-post-id=\"2673960559\" data-published-at=\"1757000567\" data-use-pagination=\"False\">\n<p>\u201cI wanted to step out of my comfort zone with this project, and really push the boundaries with the music and with myself and my writing. I feel like people will connect to it deeply. And given the trajectory of my career, this feels like the perfect time to release another full body of work. People have been waiting, and I\u2019m very excited to see what happens,\u201d Nanette says.<\/p>\n<p>Nanette entered the industry with a strong performance background, having started singing in church at the age of eight. By 2020, while studying towards her law degree, she was uploading covers and originals to SoundCloud as a creative outlet. That period led her to producer and mentor <strong>Lee Global<\/strong>, who opened doors and introduced her to the wider scene. When <em><em>Bad Weather<\/em><\/em> arrived in 2022, it marked her official entrance, placing her among a new generation of R&amp;B voices. She remembers those first years as \u201cscary and confusing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMost times, I really didn\u2019t understand the whole crux of fame and how it works. I remember when the first few people came up to me, saying they liked my music and asked for a picture. It was such a surreal moment. But then I realized that a certain part of me would forever belong to the people. That was a crazy thing to accept.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She remains fascinated by the power of art and how strangers can be utterly mesmerized by her presence. \u201cThe power of art, and of music specifically, is immense. I\u2019m just grateful that I get to contribute to pop culture,\u201d she reflects.<\/p>\n<p>She has learnt how to balance her public and personal profile over the years, and finds it much easier nowadays to discern what to share and what to keep to herself. \u201cThere\u2019s intimate parts of my personality and my life story that I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever feel the need to share with people. I also just try to remain as authentic as I can; what I do share with people is still very much me,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;\" class=\"rm-shortcode\" data-rm-shortcode-id=\"821663f84eb5a97c99582bef6226e8da\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"jeg_video_container jeg_video_content\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Make it Dance\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VKTDyZsOLgQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"rebellt-item&#10;        &#10;        &#10;        &#10;        col1\" id=\"rebelltitem5\" data-id=\"5\" data-reload-ads=\"true\" data-is-image=\"False\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.okayafrica.com\/nanette-executes-bold-rb-vision-new-album-painfully-happy\/?rebelltitem=5#rebelltitem5\" data-basename=\"particle-5\" data-post-id=\"2673960559\" data-published-at=\"1757000567\" data-use-pagination=\"False\">\n<p><em><em>Painfully Happy, <\/em><\/em>which follows on 2023\u2019s <em><em>The Waiting Room<\/em><\/em>, is a strong album by every standard. It boasts stand-out bangers in \u201cAbazali\u201d and \u201cBad,\u201d released earlier this year. Its production is elevated on every front, from the music itself to the vocal arrangements and song sequencing, and the songwriting is among the sharpest right now. Take \u201cMake It Dance,\u201d where she opens with the cinematic line: \u201c<em><em>I\u2019ve got three blunts already rolled up for you \/ in my black night dress, I got on that Full Moon<\/em><\/em>.\u201d Produced by <strong>Dre Bombay<\/strong> (<em><em>Ciara<\/em><\/em>, <em><em>Floetry<\/em><\/em>, <em><em>Jill Scott<\/em><\/em>), the track is an ethereal gem that could have slipped seamlessly into the bustling soul scene of the seventies, the blossoming neo-soul of the nineties, or the evolving R&amp;B vanguard of 2025.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDre was just playing me a bunch of beats. Our session was actually over, and I was so tired, and it was late. Mind you, he\u2019s flying out the next day. He starts playing the beats for \u201cMake It Dance,\u201d and ten seconds in, I start recording the melody. And I was like, OG, we got one. The words just started flowing,\u201d says Nanette, who left the session with the promise to come and finish up early the next morning. \u201cI fell in love with that song instantly. I still can\u2019t believe I had the opportunity to work with Dre and make that song, it\u2019s such a vibe!\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Intention is baked into every song, like emotions custom-made to fit the moment. The sonic palette stretches wide \u2013 from the R&amp;B of opener \u201cOne Night,\u201d to the Afrobeats swing of \u201cSilent Killer,\u201d the majestic 80s bubblegum of \u201cAbazali,\u201d the amapiano-esque \u201cJJK,\u201d and the head-nod hip-hop of \u201cHow Much Can You Really Take.\u201d The production credits are just as expansive. Alongside Dre Bombay are regular collaborators <strong>Lee Global<\/strong> and <strong>Christer<\/strong>, as well as <strong>Herc Cut The Lights<\/strong>, <strong>Mathandos<\/strong>, <strong>Tru Hitz<\/strong>, <strong>Stacy<\/strong>, and a host of others.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s beautiful to watch the journey introduce really amazing producers to me. I try not to force collaborations. I try not to look out for them or go out of my way, unless I really want someone specifically on a song. I just let the creation process do its thing, and in turn, I\u2019ve been able to meet a lot of amazing producers and collaborate with boundlessly talented people,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rebellt-item&#10;        &#10;        &#10;        &#10;        col1\" id=\"rebelltitem6\" data-id=\"6\" data-reload-ads=\"false\" data-is-image=\"True\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.okayafrica.com\/nanette-executes-bold-rb-vision-new-album-painfully-happy\/?rebelltitem=6#rebelltitem6\" data-basename=\"particle-6\" data-post-id=\"2673960559\" data-published-at=\"1757000567\" data-use-pagination=\"False\"><small class=\"image-media media-caption\"\/><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u201c<\/strong>We might not have the big theatre budgets now, but that doesn\u2019t mean I don\u2019t have to put the theatre in the music,\u201d says Nanette.<\/p>\n<p><small class=\"image-media media-photo-credit\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Photo by Mishaal Ganjaz<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rebellt-item&#10;        &#10;        &#10;        &#10;        col1\" id=\"rebelltitem7\" data-id=\"7\" data-reload-ads=\"true\" data-is-image=\"False\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.okayafrica.com\/nanette-executes-bold-rb-vision-new-album-painfully-happy\/?rebelltitem=7#rebelltitem7\" data-basename=\"particle-7\" data-post-id=\"2673960559\" data-published-at=\"1757000567\" data-use-pagination=\"False\">\n<p>She does something surreal, almost magical, on \u201cSilent Killer,\u201d where she writes from both perspectives of people caught in a toxic and abusive relationship. \u201cWhat happens when the roles are reversed, and how do we respond as a society?\u201d she wonders out loud.<\/p>\n<p>The idea struck while she was listening to Rihanna\u2019s \u201cMan Down,\u201d where Rihanna sings from the perspective of a woman who has just shot and killed a man in a moment of fear and panic. \u201cI was like, damn, people really slept on this song. But more than anything, they really slept on this concept. The way it\u2019s framed is you might look at it as, oh, she just killed someone, but if you actually watch the video, there\u2019s a backstory to it: she was protecting herself from getting killed. I was really taken aback by that, and I was like, hmmm, let me play around with this concept.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt also goes back to how much I love storytelling and creating very visual images. We might not have the big theater budgets now, but that doesn\u2019t mean I don\u2019t have to put the theater in the music.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nanette\u2019s artistic roots trace back to her great-grandfather, the esteemed poet <strong>J.J.R. Jolobe<\/strong>, whose pioneering contributions to isiXhosa literature made him a towering figure in South African letters. \u201cLanguage and literature were always a big part of our family. I feel like isegazini (it runs in the blood) more than anything. Poetry has really been with me my whole life,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>Where Jolobe used poetry to preserve language and capture the nuances of his people\u2019s lives, Nanette extends that legacy into a new century and a new form. \u201cI can attribute the legacy of my ancestors, and specifically my great-grandfather, to a lot of integrity. My main goal is always to keep that same integrity and quality control that they were so strict about. They did a lot of work to leave their own legacies \u2013 a legacy of art, of creation, of history. That\u2019s what I want to try and do as well. And in order to do that, I always question my integrity and my intentions. You can feel when something is not authentic,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.okayafrica.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At Nanette\u2019s Johannesburg album listening session, friends, music industry peers, and media professionals gathered in a space transformed into her sanctuary for the night. Her portraits lined the walls, rose petals in deep crimson hues carpeted the floor, and a custom drinks menu \u2014 named after songs from her latest project, Painfully Happy \u2014 was [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1997989,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25179],"tags":[359470,362453,362456,362454,26626,362455,362452],"class_list":["post-1997988","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-music","tag-afrobeats","tag-amapiano","tag-nanette","tag-nanette-new-album","tag-new-music","tag-painfully-happy","tag-south-african-music"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Nanettes-\u2018Painfully-Happy-Blends-RB-Afrobeats-Amapiano.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1997988","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1997988"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1997988\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1997989"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1997988"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1997988"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1997988"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}