Boohle is a key voice in amapiano, using her soulful vocals to breathe life into countless hits by pioneers of the genre like Josiah De Disciple, Mr JazziQ, Semi Tee, and hip-hop superstar Cassper Nyovest. Born Buhle Manyathi in 1998 in the township of Vosloorus in South Africa’s Gauteng province, where amapiano originated, Boohle dabbled in choral music, Afro house, gqom, and even gospel. After matriculating in 2016, the singer found her breakthrough with her 2020 debut EP, Izibongo. The project showcases the singer’s sharp vocal and writing abilities as she explores relationships, spirituality, and the pursuit of success, backed by Afro-pop, Afro-soul, Afrobeats, and amapiano production. But it’s her equally fluid debut album, Umbuso Wabam’nyama—released in 2020 in collaboration with amapiano mainstay Josiah De Disciple—that made Boohle a household name, thanks to heartfelt earworms like “Mama” and “Inyembezi.”