Credo V Daniels: The reluctant voice redefining SA sound

At 36, the producer-turned-vocalist and rapper presents a body of work that resists easy categorisation. Rather than chasing trends, Still Where We Were unfolds as a deeply personal project, tracing themes of love, memory and faith with a reflective, often unguarded tone.

Background and roots

Born Credo Danel Mandlhazi, Daniels grew up in Elandsfontein, Germiston, where music was part of everyday life. “My aunts on the Xhosa side of the family call me Monde,” he says, describing a household where his father played guitar and bass while his mother sang informally. “That’s where the love for the music came from. It’s what shaped the different sounds of Still Where We Were.”

His heritage — Tsonga, with Xhosa and Mozambican influences — is mirrored in an unusually wide listening palette. “I listen to everything,” he explains. “My playlist is made up of Mongolian throat singing to classical music. I love Japanese folk songs the most; I find them soothing.” Before the era of streaming, he would replay film scenes simply to absorb their background scores, a curiosity that continues to inform his compositions.

Though relatively unknown as a solo artist, Daniels is not new to the industry. He has worked behind the scenes with established names, including Kabelo Mabalane of TKZee and Infadizle of Skwatta Kamp. More recently, he collaborated with Sjava and Saudi on ‘Vura RMX’ in 2025.

From producer to performer

Daniels did not set out to be a vocalist. His shift to the microphone came out of necessity. “I stepped onto the mic because I was waiting on musicians to bring back the vocals for projects I wanted to release,” he says. “They either took too long or didn’t return them at all. So I decided to do everything myself.”

Formally trained at the Campus of Performing Arts (COPA), where he studied classical piano and music production, Daniels brings a technical precision to his work. “I love classical piano with every fibre of my being,” he says. This grounding is evident in the structure and cohesion of his music, marking a clear progression from his 2017 release, Requiem for a Dream.

The album: Still Where We Were

The album moves fluidly across styles, from Afro neo-soul and melodic rap to classical and folk influences, with lyrics delivered in multiple African languages, English and Portuguese. Despite these shifts, the project feels unified, anchored by Daniels’ measured production and introspective tone.

Originally conceived as a 17-track project, the album was pared down to ten songs. “The more I listened, the more I kept removing them,” he says. “Some were cut because I wanted a balance… the ones that remained just seemed to work if placed in a certain order.”

The opening track, ‘Ke Nako’, draws inspiration from a song by Solly Moholo. “It’s the only song I listen to daily… sometimes on repeat without noticing,” Daniels admits. “I wasn’t really making something spiritual. I was just remaking a song I loved with my own vision.”

Elsewhere, tracks such as ‘Njalo njalo’ have prompted emotional responses online, with Mozzlie publicly expressing her admiration. Other songs, including ‘Ngafa’ and ‘Sedilaka’, have also emerged as early favourites.

Notably, Daniels released the album without prior singles or a promotional campaign. “I just released everything all at once and walked away,” he says. “I didn’t expect this much attention, if I’m being honest.”

A title rooted in doubt

The album’s title reflects a moment of uncertainty. “To actually say, ‘This music thing isn’t working for me,’” Daniels explains. “I’ve been making this music for so long and I’m still where I am career-wise after eighteen years.”

At one stage, he intended the album to be his final release, as he shifted focus to a technology venture. The closing track reinforces this sentiment, incorporating variations of the word “goodbye” across different languages. “It’s about my relationship with music,” he says. “And how I am letting it go.”

Daniels resists being confined to a single style. “I do not have a genre,” he says. “There are no rules, just guidelines. Make what you feel at the time and never box yourself in.” That philosophy underpins an album that moves freely between gospel, reggae, R&B, Afro-soul and hip-hop elements, often within the same track.

Technology and creativity

Artificial intelligence also features in his process, though he is careful to frame it as a tool rather than a shortcut. “I used it on the album to enhance what was already there. I didn’t prompt it to write a song,” he says. “As a composer and producer, I enjoy having tools in my arsenal.”

He encourages other musicians to approach the technology with curiosity. “I do think people should explore AI more rather than just dismiss it… Music is forever evolving — evolve with it.”

Still Where We Were has found its audience through word of mouth rather than marketing. The album reached number eight on the Apple Music South Africa Hip-Hop Albums chart within its first week, a notable achievement for an independent release with minimal promotion.

Daniels’ trajectory may be unconventional, but it reflects a deliberate commitment to craft over visibility. With a foundation built on both technical training and lived musical experience, he is emerging not as a sudden breakthrough, but as a fully formed artist whose work rewards careful listening.