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Apple Music announces DESIREE as the Latest Isgubhu Cover Star
Apple Music has announced House DJ and producer DESIREE (Palesa Desiree Shilabje) as the newest cover star for Isgubhu.
“I always try to show that African electronic music comes with many layers,” DESIREE tells Apple Music. “This selection is an extension of the different sounds, past and present, that have and continue to inspire me. All the artists I admire have graced the Isgubhu cover, and it’s an honor to finally have the opportunity to do the same.”
Growing up in Johannesburg’s Ivory Park, DESIREE’s early love for alternative styles led her to the sounds of Radiohead, Nick Cave, and Thom Yorke’s side project, Atoms For Peace. Her curiosity for global sounds eventually drew her into the dynamic world of electronic music.
After completing a course at a DJ school in Soweto, DESIREE uploaded her first mix to SoundCloud, marking a pivotal step as she transitioned into her role as a rising DJ. As a proud Black intersex woman with a distinctive sound and style, DESIREE has captivated audiences worldwide, performing at iconic clubs and festivals such as DC-10, fabric, Glastonbury, Cercle, DGTL, and Lost Village. In 2023, her entrepreneurial spirit inspired her to launch MMINO (meaning “music” in Sepedi), an event series that has since branched out internationally, with proceeds benefiting Intersex South Africa.
DESIREE’s latest EP, Intersexy, now available to stream on Apple Music, is inspired by avant-garde electronic composers she has admired since her teens. The EP represents a bold step in her artistic journey, as she crafts music with a profound emotional arc that reflects her voice as an intersex woman in the music industry.
To celebrate her Isgubhu feature, DESIREE has curated an exclusive playlist that highlights the rich diversity and rhythmic beauty of African electronic music.
Launched in early 2021, Isgubhu is the definitive home of African Dance and Electronic music on Apple Music and spotlights and elevates the work of African Electronic DJs, producers and creatives. Isgubhu, a Zulu word meaning beat and used to refer to a banging song, pays homage to an evergreen set of genres and the African artists who have played a pivotal role in shaping the Dance and Electronic scene across the world.
Isgubhu also houses a collection of playlists including Spotlight On–a focus on boutique labels like Soul Candi, House Afrika, Stay True Sounds and Uganda’s Hakuna Kulala & Nyege Nyege Tapes and Isgubhu Voices–a focus on the best Dance and Electronic tracks that feature vocals.
Check out Isgubhu only on Apple Music http://apple.co/Isgubhu
