Internet Athi named Apple Music Up Next artist for South Africa

The announcement places the musician among a group of emerging artists highlighted by Apple Music through its global initiative, which aims to support developing talent and introduce them to wider audiences through editorial playlists and promotional opportunities.

“Music has always been my way of holding people close, even from a distance,” Internet Athi said. “To be recognised as Apple Music’s Up Next South Africa artist feels bigger than me. It feels like a reminder that honest stories, sung from home, can still travel far.”

Internet Athi, whose music blends jazz, neo-soul, folk and R&B influences, has gained attention for his introspective songwriting and themes centred on love, grief, connection and personal reflection.

He first attracted a wider audience through the singles ‘Wena’, ‘Nguwe’ and ‘Undithembisile’. According to Apple Music, the three songs have collectively accumulated more than one million plays on the platform.

The artist released his debut album, Polymorphism, on 27 April. The project explores different forms of love, including romantic, familial and communal relationships, drawing on concepts such as Agape, Eros, Storge and Philia.

Recorded and mixed at Concept Records and mastered by Sonic Nursery, the album was created with a group of collaborators and features a combination of live instrumentation and contemporary production.

Following the album’s release, Internet Athi was included in the 2026 edition of the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz programme. He has also undertaken an independently organised national tour after a series of sold-out performances between late 2025 and early 2026.

Outside music, Internet Athi, whose given name is Athenkosi Cetyana, is a published writer. His literary work has been featured at the Franschhoek Literary Festival and in Cover2Cover publications.

“To my supporters, thank you for every single play. Thank you for sitting with my music and for sharing it with your loved ones. Thank you for carrying these songs with such care and warmth. Ndiyanithanda kakhulu. This moment belongs to all of us,” he said.

As part of the Up Next programme, Internet Athi will be featured on Apple Music’s Up Next playlist, which showcases emerging artists selected by the platform's editorial teams worldwide.

Previous artists featured through the global Up Next initiative include Billie Eilish, Burna Boy, Tems, Rema, Bad Bunny and H.E.R..