Sykes Announced As Apple Music’s Up Next Artist In SA

SA singer-songwriter Sykes, has been named the next recipient of Apple Music’s Up Next program for November, a local version of their global emerging artist platform, which they launched early in 2021.

 “It's a wonderful feeling to finally see the results of so much of my hard work and dedication,” he tells Apple Music. “I will forever be grateful to Apple Music for this wonderful opportunity. I also promise to continue being the gift that keeps giving. It feels good to be #UpNext!”

As a child growing up in Durban, Sykes was more interested in getting better acquainted with musical instruments than he was with toys, which led to him learning his first chord at age 7, and playing keyboards in the church band at age 9. It was only during his second year of university in 2020 that he began to take a possible career in music seriously, after featuring on Prince Kaybee’s ‘Ayabulela’. 

But it was earlier this year that Sykes’ career exploded when a freestyle of his then unreleased single, ‘Sisekaneni Babies’, went viral on social media. This prompted his move to SA’s musical mecca, Johannesburg, where he connected with Grammy Awards winner, Nomcebo Zikode, and signed to her label Emazulwini Productions soon after. 

He recently also dropped his highly anticipated debut EP ‘Most Wanted’, the seven track fusion of Afrotech, Gqom and Amapiano with contributions from Azana, Skillz and RudeBoyz.