SA: Prince Kaybee teams up with Ben September on new single ‘Veliry’

The track follows Kaybee’s previous single ‘Heno Babayo’, which received international media and radio support, including coverage from Mixmag, YourEDM and House Music With Love, as well as airplay on UK station KISS XTRA’s The Afro Electronic Show. In South Africa, the song was covered by IOL and Music In Africa and received airplay on Metro FM, YFM and Good Hope FM.

‘Veliry’ combines Afro-house rhythms with R&B and soul influences. The track opens with a guitar-led arrangement before introducing layered percussion and melodic elements, while September delivers the vocals. Kaybee said the song was inspired by a woman named Veliry, describing her as someone who reminded him of “a beautiful day of harmonic love songs”.

Kaybee, whose real name is Kabelo Motsamai, rose to prominence after winning the SABC 1 DJ and production competition 1’s and 2’s in 2015. He has since released several commercially successful tracks, including ‘Club Controller’, ‘Banomoya’ and ‘Uwrongo’, the latter of which was included in TIME magazine’s list of the 10 best songs of 2020.

His career has also included collaborations with artists such as Lady Zamar, Busiswa, TNS, Shimza, Black Motion and Ami Faku. He has won multiple South African Music Awards, including Male Artist of the Year, Best Dance Album and Album of the Year, as well as a Metro FM Music Award for Best Dance Album.

September, who is from Sasolburg in the Free State, has built a profile through his blend of alternative R&B, Afro-pop and soul. He has previously collaborated with Kaybee, Tyler ICU, KLY, FLVME and The Big Hash, with his songwriting often exploring themes of love, vulnerability and self-discovery.

‘Veliry’ marks another collaboration between Kaybee and September as the producer continues to explore the intersection of Afro-house, soul and contemporary African sounds.