Thami’s soothing vocals and musings on love made him a notable name in South Africa’s R&B and Afropop scenes within a short period. Born Simphiwe Thamsanqa Shobede in Mtubatuba, KwaZulu-Natal in 1988, Thami shot to stardom in 2016 after being a runner-up on the 12th season of Idols South Africa. Carrying the momentum garnered from the televised singing contest, Thami released the acoustic guitar-driven “Sthandwa.” On his ballad-filled debut album, Never Lost—released to rave reviews in 2017 by the renowned independent label Gallo Record Company—Thami worked with esteemed producer Khaya Mthethwa and musician Brenda Mtambo. Sadly, his rise was cruelly cut short: At a concert in 2019, Thami collapsed on stage and passed away.