Imagine pressing play on a Netflix movie and suddenly hearing your own voice coming through the speakers. For Eswatini musician Msimisi, that moment has become part of his latest career milestone, with his vocals featured on Sabela, a song included in the newly released South African romantic comedy Seriously Single Too.
The film premiered on Netflix on October 16, bringing another opportunity for the local musician’s work to reach audiences beyond Eswatini.
Msimisi shared his excitement in a video, encouraging viewers to watch the film and reflecting on his growing interest in creating music for movies and television shows.
“I love writing music for movies and shows now. Please go watch Seriously Single Too,” he said.
In the video, Msimisi explained that he had not been approached to write house music for a film in some time before Netflix approached him about contributing to the production.
The opportunity has since given him another reason to explore the relationship between music and screen storytelling.
Msimisi, who has been active in Eswatini’s music industry since 2009, built his career as a singer and songwriter, developing a catalogue that includes collaborations with other musicians and producers.
His work has also reached audiences in South Africa, where he has contributed to recordings and performed on major television platforms.
Msimisi’s latest Netflix credit is not his first. In December 2023, Msimisi’s song Out of the Blue featured in the Netflix romantic comedy series Yoh! Christmas.
That opportunity followed a connection with Samkelo Mahlalela, who discovered his music on social media and reached out to him.
Msimisi subsequently travelled to Johannesburg to work with producers Slotta, Fiki and Pixelwaveaudio on music for the production.
At the time, the musician spoke about the experience of seeing the work that goes into making a television production and the opportunities that can emerge from contributing to one.
His return to the platform with Seriously Single Too reflects his continued involvement in music for screen productions, extending a journey that began with a social media discovery and a collaborative studio session.
The 2026 film continues the story of Dineo and Noni, two friends whose relationship and romantic lives take unexpected turns.
When Noni’s boyfriend suddenly proposes, the friends are confronted with changing expectations and the complications that come with love, friendship and adulthood.
The film stars Fulu Mugovhani, Tumi Morake, Buntu Petse, Keke Mphuthi and Yonda Thomas. It is directed by KatlehoRamaphakela and Rethabile Ramaphakela and produced by South African production company Burnt Onion Productions.
As a romantic comedy, the production brings together acting, writing, direction and music to tell its story. Msimisi’scontribution places his vocals within that broader creative process, allowing his work to be heard as part of a film distributed through an international streaming platform.
Msimisi’s latest achievement also brings attention to other musicians from Eswatini whose work has reached Netflix productions.
Sands’ song Tigi was used as the introductory music for the South African Netflix film A Soweto Love Story , released in February 2024. The placement gave the song exposure to viewers discovering the film and demonstrated another way locally produced music can find a place in screen entertainment.
Msimisi himself has now secured placements in two Netflix productions, Yoh! Christmas and Seriously Single Too. His experience illustrates how a musician’s work can move beyond traditional album releases and live performances into film and television.
Meanwhile Ndumiso Manana, professionally known as Manana, is another musician born in Eswatini who has built a career across borders.
The singer, songwriter and producer has worked with artists including Ami Faku, Amanda Black, Tyla and Sauti Sol. He also co-wrote Time Flies, featuring Sauti Sol, on Burna Boy’s Grammy-winning album Twice as Tall.
However, a specific Netflix music credit for Manana could not be independently confirmed for this article.
For Msimisi, the significance of Seriously Single Too goes beyond hearing his vocals in a new production. It adds to his growing experience as a songwriter for screen entertainment and shows how connections, collaborations and opportunities can take music created in Eswatini into wider markets.
For local audiences, there is another reason to press play: a familiar voice from home is part of the soundtrack.
