Award-winning rapper Sihle Sithole, popularly known as Blxckie, has revealed that despite rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in South African music, there is one artist who still tops his collaboration wishlist, and that is Afro-soul icon Lira.
Speaking to the media, the Durban-born hitmaker admitted that working with the Feel Good singer would be a dream come true.
‘I’d love to work with Lira’
“I’d love to work with Lira,” he said. “If that dream ever came true, I wouldn’t even put it on one of my projects. It would be whatever she wanted it to be, I just want to make that collaboration happen.”
The revelation offers a glimpse into a different side of Blxckie, whose career has largely been built on hip hop, trap and R&B. His admiration for Lira, one of South Africa’s most celebrated vocalists, signals his appreciation for artists outside his own lane and suggests he isn’t afraid to step beyond genre boundaries.
The rapper explained that collaboration has never been about ticking boxes or chasing big names.
“When it comes to collaborations, I don’t force them,” he said. “I only work with people when it feels natural and makes sense for the music. If I have a basic idea, I’ll share it with someone if I think they’ll add something to it, but I don’t go into the process thinking I need a feature just for the sake of it.”
Organic approach shapes project creation
That same organic approach has shaped the way he creates projects.
“I don’t usually start with the intention of making an album,” Blxckie explained. “I’ll have a bunch of random songs, and then, over time, I start seeing how they fit together. You might have a softer song, a heavier song, a dance song, just different sounds. Eventually, it starts to feel like a complete project.”
Now firmly established as one of South Africa’s biggest stars, Blxckie says he has moved beyond making music simply to prove himself. Instead, his focus has shifted towards telling more personal stories.
“I’m in a really good space right now. The projects I’ve released, besides my one and only album, were basically me experimenting.”
‘I feel like I’m in a good space’
He pointed to The Formula, P4L and See You Soon as projects that allowed him to explore different sounds and creative partnerships.
“All of those experiments ended up being successful for me. The songs from each of those projects still go crazy every time I perform them, whether it’s for grannies or young people; it doesn’t matter.”
Those experiences, he said, have given him the confidence to create a body of work with greater emotional depth.
“I feel like I’m in a good space now to take everything I’ve learned and make a project that means something deeper to me. The whole point of making an album is to speak on something real and reflect where your head is at.”
Blxckie added that while fans have followed his rise to stardom, there are still many chapters of his journey that remain untold.
“There are a lot of stories about my success and my journey that I haven’t really spoken about. I’ve touched on some of them across the last three projects, but I feel like now it’s about continuing that life story through the music.”
ALSO READ: Billions of Spotify streams prove R&B is thriving in Mzansi
- Award-winning rapper Blxckie revealed that Afro-soul singer Lira is his top collaboration wish, admiring her artistry beyond his usual hip hop and R&B genres.
- Blxckie emphasizes an organic approach to collaborations, working only when it naturally fits the music rather than chasing big names.
- He creates projects by assembling varied songs over time, rather than starting with the intention of making a traditional album.
- Having experimented with different sounds in recent projects like The Formula, P4L, and See You Soon, Blxckie is now focused on making more personal, emotionally deep music.
- Despite his rising fame, Blxckie notes that many aspects of his journey remain untold, with plans to express these stories more fully in future work.
Award-winning rapper
"I'd love to work with Lira," he said. "If that dream ever came true, I wouldn't even put it on one of my projects. It would be whatever she wanted it to be, I just want to make that collaboration happen."
"When it comes to collaborations, I don't force them," he said. "I only work with people when it feels natural and makes sense for the music. If I have a basic idea, I'll share it with someone if I think they'll add something to it, but I don't go into the process thinking I need a feature just for the sake of it."
"I don't usually start with the intention of making an album," Blxckie explained. "I'll have a bunch of random songs, and then, over time, I start seeing how they fit together. You might have a softer song, a heavier song, a dance song, just different sounds. Eventually, it starts to feel like a complete project."
Now firmly established as one of
"I'm in a really good space right now.
He pointed to
"All of those experiments ended up being successful for me.
"I feel like I'm in a good space now to take everything I've learned and make a project that means something deeper to me.
Blxckie added that while fans have followed his rise to stardom, there are still many chapters of his journey that remain untold.
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ALSO READ: Billions of Spotify streams prove R&B is thriving in Mzansi
