Ikati Esengxoweni

BIO

Ikati Esengxoweni is an Afrofuturistic duo from South Africa.

Its the rough translation of their name Ikati Esengxoweni, whose nucleus is the duo of composers Lark Wantu and Anam Manyati, two of the most productive talents to come out of South Africa of late.Accompanied by electronic sounds influenced by several elements including indigenous instruments, violin, bass, guitar and drums, the voices of Wantu and Manyati open a torrent of sounds and rhythms that proudly wear the DNA of their continent.” Primavera Sound Newsletter 2018

Upon their establishment in 2016, Ikati Esengxoweni, was handpicked by IMEXSA, Independent Music Exporters South Africa, to perform, network and attend business conferences specifically at Primavera and Midem in France in 2016. In 2018, the duo were specially requested by Primavera to return to Barcelona to perform at Primavera in 2018.
In December 2018, Ikati Esengxoweni won the Afro Punk Battle of the bands competition and in doing so were selected on the main stage at the APF in Johannesburg, alongside international artists like Thundercat, The Internet and Flying Lotus.

The duo has worked with BlackBrain Motion Pictures. Their unique sound featured as soundtracks to internationally acclaimed “Loving Thokoza” a movie that screened on South Africa’s DSTV Showmax. “Ookhokho Bethu” meaning “the ones that lived before us” was the song featured in the struggle movie. South African, National Television channel, Dstv 1Magic & Mzansi Magic’s, hit drama series, LOCKDOWN, featured, “Ting Ting”, one of Ikati Esengxoweni’s tracks, as a soundtrack in prison acting scenes in Season 2-5. Both television productions have gone on to win big at the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs), scooping Best Made for TV Movie as well as Best Original Music or Score TV Drama. “The Cradle Of Humankind”, is the pair’s recent released song in languages such as Bamba, Swahili & IsiXhosa. Presently the track is Playlisted on multiple National Radio Stations. The track can be set as a Vodacom& MTN Callertune. The genre bending song is on all online stores, together with “Ting Ting” which can be found on the Lockdown Soundtrack, on Apple Music, Spotify as well as ALL Digital Platforms.

TV Appearances:
 BET AFRICA
 SELIMATHUNZI
 SABC 3
 BARCELONA CATALAN NEWS

Radio Interviews:
• MHLOBO WENENE FM
• RADIO 2000
• BARCELONA RADIO AFRICA MAGAZINE