USHER NYAMBI
The story of Red Bull Symphonic: The Next Chapter starts with a bold and imaginative idea: what happens when the soulful pulse of Amapiano—a genre rooted in South Africa’s townships—is reinterpreted through the scale and elegance of a full symphony orchestra? In Johannesburg, the result proved to be truly transformative.
For Kelvin Momo, known for shaping Amapiano’s deeper, more introspective sound, the project pushed him into completely new creative territory. Reflecting on the experience during rehearsals, he shared that it was unlike anything he had done before. Unlike his usual performances, where he builds energy intuitively in the moment, working with an orchestra required precision—every note carefully arranged, every moment intentionally crafted.
This tension between spontaneity and structure became the creative engine that drove the entire project. Working alongside world-renowned composer and conductor Adam Howard, Momo embarked on a months-long journey to deconstruct his electronic compositions and rebuild them as orchestral arrangements that could honor both the raw energy of Amapiano and the sophisticated dynamics of classical music.
Howard's genius lay in finding the bridge between these two musical universes. Rather than simply having the orchestra play Amapiano melodies, he reimagined the genre's essential elements through orchestral colors. The characteristic Amapiano bassline became a conversation between double basses and cellos. The genre's signature percussion found new life through the orchestra's rhythm section, while the melodic elements soared through strings and woodwinds in ways that electronic synthesis could never achieve.
The result was something entirely new—neither purely Amapiano nor traditionally orchestral, but a third language that spoke fluently to both communities. Audiences witnessed piano log drums translated into timpani rolls, synthesized pads becoming lush string sections, and vocal samples evolving into full choir arrangements.
TikTok is where conversation around culture, community, and care come together. The summit showcased Tik Tok's continued commitment to supporting healthier online experiences through safety innovations, trusted partnerships, and education. From announcing new mental health ambassadors to expanding global support to local organisations, the event marked a new chapter in how digital wellbeing is protected and upheld on its platform.
TikTok hosted its first-ever Digital Well-Being Summit in Africa this June, bringing together creators, health experts, NGOs, and policy leaders from across Sub-Saharan Africa for a powerful conversation on mental health in the digital age. Held in Johannesburg, the event marked a major milestone in the platform’s commitment to creating safer, healthier online spaces, especially for young people.
The summit focused on how technology, creativity, and community can promote mental wellbeing both on and off the app. From launching in-app mental health resources to announcing local ambassadors and partnerships, the event spotlighted Africa as a vital voice in the global mental health conversation.
A major highlight was the launch of TikTok’s new Mental Health Ambassadors, including local psychologist Sanam Naran (@theconsciouspsychologist) and South African medical doctor @doctor.siya, alongside experts from Kenya and Nigeria. These ambassadors are working with TikTok to share accessible, accurate mental health content, tailored to African audiences.
A key announcement at the summit was the rollout of in-app mental health helplines across several African countries, including South Africa’s Childline SA. Now, when users report content related to self-harm, suicide, or bullying, they’ll be guided to trusted local support in real time.
For the first time in Basketball Africa League (BAL) history, South Africa hosted the Season 5 Playoffs and Finals. The prestigious event took place at Pretoria’s SunBet Arena, marking a significant milestone for the league. This exciting announcement was made by BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall during an international media press conference.
With Rwanda representing the Nile Conference, Senegal the Sahara Conference, and Morocco the Kalahari Conference, South Africa now steps into the spotlight to host one of the most highly anticipated events in African basketball.
The 2025 BAL playoffs and Finals, scheduled for June 14, 2025, took place in a new home in Pretoria, South Africa. It marked the first time that the BAL playoffs and Finals were not held in Kigali, Rwanda. The 2025 BAL season also debuted in a new location in Rabat, Morocco, on April 5, 2025. The 2025 BAL season featured the top 12 club teams from 12 African countries playing 48 games in Rabat, Kigali and Dakar, Senegal, before heading to Pretoria for the playoffs.
“We have seen tremendous growth over the BAL’s first four seasons in the level of on-court competition, attendance and engagement from fans and partners in Africa and globally,” said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall in a statement. “Our milestone fifth season will build on that momentum and further showcase the level of talent and passion for basketball in Africa, including through the first BAL games in Morocco and the first BAL Finals in South Africa.”
During the 2024 BAL season, Petro de Luanda of Angola became the first sub-Saharan African team to a win championship. According to the BAL, the 2024 BAL season reached fans in 214 countries and territories in 17 languages, set an attendance record of more than 120,000 fans across the four host countries, and generated more than 1.2 billion impressions across NBA and BAL social media channels.
Usher Takudzwa Nyambi’s work sits at the intersection of culture, media, and strategic communications, where he brings a nuanced and forward-thinking approach to how ideas are shaped, shared, and received.
Drawing on a deep understanding of both local and global cultural dynamics, he navigates the complexities of storytelling in an era defined by rapid information exchange and evolving audience expectations.
Cultural Consulting
Advisory services for organisations, festivals, brands and institutions seeking to engage authentically with culture and audiences.
This includes conceptualising cultural initiatives, programming themes and ensuring projects align with broader market dynamics across Africa and the diaspora.
Project Management
Seamless end-to-end coordination and management of creative and communications projects, guiding each initiative from initial concept development through to execution.
Editorial Services
Comprehensive development, editing, and refinement of a wide range of written content, including articles, speeches, reports, profiles, and thought leadership pieces.
Each piece is carefully shaped from initial draft through to final version, with close attention to structure, flow, and overall coherence.
Every story deserves to be told with care and intention.
Every story deserves to be told with care and intention.
Work with me to shape narratives that resonate, engage audiences with intention, and position your brand within a dynamic cultural landscape. Together, we’ll build communication strategies that are thoughtful, relevant, and impactful.
Work with me to shape narratives that resonate, engage audiences with intention, and position your brand within a dynamic cultural landscape. Together, we’ll build communication strategies that are thoughtful, relevant, and impactful.
