As 4 JerryP is set to step into a new chapter of his career this Friday with the release of his debut album Libhungu Lemhlolo, following an exclusive listening session that gave media representatives, industry stakeholders and invited guests an early taste of the project.
The album, which is scheduled for release on August 28, comes at a particularly busy time on Eswatini’s entertainment and cultural calendar, with the commencement of the Umhlanga Reed Dance and the Eswatini International Trade Fair also expected to draw attention across the country.
For the Upscale Live recording artist, however, the crowded weekend could provide another opportunity for his music to enter an already heightened national conversation.
The excitement around Libhungu Lemhlolo became more tangible at the private listening session held at Yini Loku in Mbabane on Thursday, where guests were brought together ahead of the album’s public release.
Instead of simply announcing the project, the session offered those in attendance an opportunity to hear the body of work that As4JerryP has been developing since joining Upscale Live in 2025.
The album marks a significant step for the artist, who has released three singles since joining the Eswatini-based record label and talent management company.
Among the songs included on the project are the charting single Mentengamunye, Inkhanyeti, which features labelmate and six-time award-winning artist Lyrikal Busta, and the more recent Libhungu Lemhlolo.
The listening session also provided a glimpse into the collaborative nature of the album, with production involving local producers SeimeStones DPR and Hlanti-Mayne, while six Eswatini artists contribute guest appearances.
For As4JerryP, the project is therefore more than a first full-length release. It represents the progression of an artist who has spent the past year establishing his sound and identity while working within a growing local music ecosystem.
A major contributor to that sound is SeimeStones DPR, who handled approximately 90 per cent of the album’s production.
Speaking after the listening session, As 4 JerryP expressed appreciation to those who contributed to the project, particularly his producer, describing the collaboration as an important part of bringing the album together.
The artist also thanked the artists, engineers, creatives, Upscale Live, family, friends and others who supported the project throughout its development.
The listening session itself was hosted by Upscale Live with support from Spotted Horse, the Eswatini Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Society (ESWACOS) and Motion Skies Pictures.
The gathering brought together people from different corners of the local creative industry, creating an environment where the album could be heard and discussed before it reaches the wider public.
That setting was significant for a project that places local talent at the centre of its creation.
With six local artists featured on the album and production largely handled by Eswatini-based producers, Libhungu Lemhlolo arrives as another contribution to an increasingly active local music scene.
The project also highlights the role of record labels and creative companies in creating opportunities for artists to develop beyond individual singles and into full-length bodies of work.
The album’s release date, meanwhile, makes the timing particularly interesting. August 28 falls on a weekend when the country’s attention is expected to be divided across several major cultural and commercial events.
The Umhlanga Reed Dance season brings thousands of participants and spectators into the national spotlight, while the Eswatini International Trade Fair begins its own programme of activities, attracting businesses, exhibitors, performers and members of the public.
For an emerging artist, releasing new music during such a crowded period can present a challenge, with audiences having multiple events and stories competing for their attention.It can also present an opportunity.
The convergence of major cultural events, entertainment and public activity means the country will already be in a heightened celebratory mood.
As4JerryP’s album will therefore enter the market at a time when music, culture and entertainment are already firmly part of the national conversation.
The artist appears to be leaning into that momentum, with the album already available for pre-save ahead of its official release.
The response at the listening session suggested that there is already anticipation around what the full project will offer. For those in attendance, the event removed some of the mystery surrounding the album and replaced the announcement of its release with an actual introduction to the music itself.
It also positioned As 4 JerryP at an important point in his career. Since joining Upscale Live in 2025, the artist has moved from releasing individual tracks to presenting a more complete picture of his artistic direction.
Libhungu Lemhlolo gives him an opportunity to bring those different stages of his development together while introducing listeners to the wider creative world he has been building.
The album also comes at a time when Eswatini’s music industry continues to search for ways to give emerging artists sustainable platforms.
While singles remain an important part of how musicians build audiences, a debut album represents a considerably larger commitment from production and songwriting to collaborations, marketing and the ability to sustain interest beyond one release.
ForAs4JerryP, Friday will therefore be about more than adding another title to his catalogue.
It will be the first public presentation of a project that has brought together producers, artists, creatives and a wider support system around his developing career.
The artist has described the listening session as one of the best moments of his journey so far, thanking those who attended and supported the project.
Now, with the private preview behind him, the next audience will be considerably larger. On August 28, Libhungu Lemhlolo moves from the listening room to the public.
And as the country enters one of its busiest cultural weekends of the year, As 4 JerryP will be hoping that amid the pageantry of Umhlanga, the activity of the Trade Fair and the broader entertainment calendar, his debut album will create a space of its own.
For an artist at the beginning of his album journey, Friday will be the first real test of whether the momentum built around Libhungu Lemhlolo can translate into listeners beyond the room where the project was first heard. The wait, at least, is almost over.
