Nobuhle Ashanti

Nobuhle Ashanti (22) is an artist from Cape Town, SA. Her creative disciplines include jazz piano, classical violin, music composition and arrangement.

From the early age of 10, her music education developed vigorously through the Beau Soleil Music Centre - where she studied classical violin - and various legendary youth music programs i.e The Little Giants, Sekunjalo Youth Program, Grahamstown International Youth Jazz Festival etc. where she took on jazz piano style.

Over the years, Nobuhle has consistently performed for various live music venues and festivals around Cape Town/South Africa - either with her own project “Ashanti Tribe” or as a session pianist/musical director for many local artists. Highlights in her career include The Cape Town Jazz Festival (2011) with Sekunjalo, The Jazzathon Festival (CPT), Youth jazz Band, SBIYJF National Schools’ Band (2016), Bayimba jazz Festival (2017), Heels Over Head SA Tour (2018), featuring on Dumama + Kechou’s “Buffering Juju” album, the UCT Big Band (2018), Ernestine Deane’s Dub4Mama band, The Lights Festival (2016), featuring on legendary platform “Sofar Sessions” with Refentse Ramatlodi as well as co-arranging/composing - singer/songwriter -Lauren Manning’s debut album “Four Walls” to name a few.

A seasoned performer and student of music, Nobuhle launched her project “Ashanti Tribe” in 2018. Growing up within Cape Town’s music industry, Nobuhle was, inevitably, exposed to various authentic South African music genres. Learning the histories of South African people came along with her music education, naturally, through studying legendary artists and their music. Thus, the fundamental concept of her project/movement is to gather different artists, and together, celebrate heritage and heal together - along with listeners. Nobuhle’s compositional style includes textures and elements of South African jazz, American jazz, rhythm and blues, jazz fusion and soul.

Having composed and arranged music consistently, Nobuhle feels she is now ready to produce and record her very own body of work. An album compiled of her works over the years and feature various local artists, the project looks to be one of authenticity and representation of not only herself but her home roots.