Ayanda Ntanzi

Nearly everything that defines South African gospel star Ayanda Ntanzi—his soulful voice, backing choir, Zulu-influenced rhythms—busts out in "Nasempini" (In the War), a hit single from his 2017 sophomore album, Priestly Worship. Born in Pietermaritzburg in the early ‘90s, Ntanzi was raised in a family of singers who inspired him to devote his talent to his Christian faith. Ntanzi's career took off when Nqubeko Mbatha invited him onto the Gospel Classics TV show in 2014 and became the younger singer's mentor. Ntanzi's 2015 debut album, Udumo (Fame), earned him Crown Gospel Awards nominations for Best Newcomer and Best Urban Contemporary Gospel. In 2020, while also studying law, Ntanzi released According to Grace. Like many of the best gospel albums, it documents a high-energy live performance bursting with barn burners like "Wena Jesu" (You, Jesus) and beautifully smoldering English-language tracks like "Grace Upon Grace."