Sun-El Musician confirmed for ACCES 2026 in Joburg

Sun-El Musician will headline the ACCES showcase festival programme on Friday, 30 October. Earlier that day, he will participate in a keynote fireside chat at the ACCES Conference.

The fireside chat, titled Shaping the Sound, Building the Legacy, will explore Sun-El Musician’s journey from producing chart-topping records to establishing one of South Africa’s most distinctive musical identities.

Moderated by Lerato Matsoso, General Manager: Operations at CAPASSO, the discussion will reflect on artistic evolution, collaboration, ownership and the business decisions that have shaped Sun-El Musician’s career. It will also offer insights for the next generation of African artists.

Born Sanele Sithole, Sun-El Musician is known for his melodic Afro-house sound. He rose to prominence with ‘Akanamali’, featuring Samthing Soweto, and followed it with hits including ‘Sonini’ and ‘Bamthathile’. His acclaimed albums Africa to the World and To the World & Beyond have earned him multiple awards and platinum certifications.

Sun-El Musician’s appearance at ACCES 2026 is presented by the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association (CAPASSO) through a partnership with the Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF). The partnership supports his participation in both the conference and showcase programme while advancing industry conversations around rights management, ownership and sustainable growth in the African music sector.

“Sun-El Musician’s participation at ACCES 2026 reflects the kind of artistic and industry exchange that the event is designed to foster. His performance will bring his distinctive sound to the ACCES stage, while his presence at the trade event will create opportunities for meaningful engagement with artists, professionals and music businesses from across the continent. We are grateful to CAPASSO for partnering with us to make this possible. Their support demonstrates the importance of collaboration between industry organisations in creating platforms that connect African music to wider audiences and markets,” said Eddie Hatitye, Executive Director of the Music In Africa Foundation.

Lerato Matsoso, General Manager: Operations at CAPASSO, said: “CAPASSO is proud to partner with the Music In Africa Foundation in bringing Sun-El Musician to ACCES 2026. His career reflects the kind of artistic ownership and business acumen we hope to see more of across the African music industry. We are thrilled to be a part of a platform where his experience can inform and inspire the next generation of composers, authors and artists. Moderating his fireside chat is a privilege, and we look forward to a conversation that speaks directly to CAPASSO's mission of protecting and advancing the rights of music creators.”

ACCES is Africa’s leading music trade event, bringing together industry professionals from across the continent and beyond. The ACCES Conference will take place on 29 and 30 October at The Forum, The Campus, in Bryanston, featuring a diverse programme of conference sessions, exhibitions, workshops and networking activities.

Running from 28 to 31 October, the ACCES showcase festival is structured as a series of Industry Nights taking place across four Johannesburg venues: The Artistry, Untitled Basement, The Forge and Jozi Gold.

Other artists on the ACCES line-up include Pilani Bubu (South Africa), Abavuki (South Africa), Francis Soal (South Africa), Rorisang Sechele (South Africa), The SN Project (South Africa), The Joy (South Africa), Giuliette Price (South Africa), Mary Anibal (Zimbabwe), Sylent Nqo & The Noisemakers (Zimbabwe), Ben Pol (Tanzania), Akra (Ghana), FimFim (Ghana) and Chakires et le groupe Oulanga (Réunion/Comoros).

Registration for ACCES 2026 is now open. Tickets for the Industry Nights will be released at a later stage, with initial access available by invitation.

About CAPASSO

The Composers, Authors and Publishers Association (CAPASSO) is a mechanical rights licensing agency responsible for collecting and distributing royalties on behalf of its members, who include music publishers, composers and authors. CAPASSO licenses the reproduction or reformatting of musical works. A mechanical right, which forms part of copyright, is generated whenever a work is reproduced or transferred into another format. Through mandates from its members, CAPASSO is authorised to issue mechanical rights licences, collect the associated licence fees and distribute them as royalties to its members.

About ACCES

ACCES is a pan-African music trade event where industry professionals exchange ideas, discover new talent and create business linkages. Held in a different African city each year, ACCES attracts active music industry players from across the globe. ACCES 2026 is produced by the Music In Africa Foundation, a pan-African non-profit organisation, in partnership with the City of Joburg. See all sponsors on the official ACCES website.