Sjava has released Inkanyezi Nezinkanyezi, the final instalment of his Inkanyezi trilogy, bringing a year-long live journey into the studio.
The album was released on Friday, 30 January 2026, following a rollout that moved against convention. Instead of touring after release, Sjava spent most of 2025 performing the songs live, allowing audiences to sit with the music long before it reached streaming platforms. Those performances later formed the live EPs Inkanyezi and Inkanyezi 2.0. Inkanyezi Nezinkanyezi now presents the songs in their studio form.
Ahead of the release, Sjava hosted a listening session at the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome in Johannesburg. The doors opened into a stargazing setup, with reclining chairs positioned beneath a planetarium dome offering guests a clear view of the sky above them. The atmosphere felt closer to an observatory than a traditional music venue.
As the album played, stars and planets moved overhead. The experience leaned less toward spectacle and more toward reflection. There was a quiet, almost spiritual energy in the room, shaped by the setting as much as by the music.
Speaking about the launch concept in an interview with The Citizen, Sjava said the environment gave him a new way of hearing his own work. “It was a nice experience for me because I got to hear the music a certain way, especially certain songs that really matched the energy of the stars,” he said.
He added that one track in particular took on deeper meaning during the session. “It really hit different for me, especially on the song Mdumise, because the song says God works in mysterious ways. Looking at the moon, the stars, and all that, it reminded me of how God is such a great designer,” he told The Citizen.
Elsewhere, Sjava has spoken about the role of music as a historical record. “Our history is not written like white people’s,” he said in recent media coverage. “We have to reflect the times through our music.”
The release follows Isibuko receiving the Best Afro Pop Album award, adding context to this moment in Sjava’s career. Rather than marking a reinvention, Inkanyezi Nezinkanyezi feels like a consolidation. It brings together songs, collaborators and audiences who shaped the project long before its studio release.
The album features contributions from Buhlebendalo, Kelvin Momo, Nkosazana Daughter, Msaki, Anatii, Jesse Clegg, Siya Ntuli, Ntando Dlamini, Shwi and Dogzin. Mixing and mastering were handled by longtime collaborator Ruff, helping tie together a wide range of voices and styles.
Sjava is also preparing for his upcoming 10-Year Celebration Tour, which will mark a decade since his official debut in 2016. The tour will draw from his full catalogue, revisiting music across eras rather than focusing on a single release.
Inkanyezi Nezinkanyezi is available now on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Deezer and other major digital streaming platforms.
