South African house DJ and producer Chymamusique made a notable return to the regional stage when he headlined the Weekender Friday Series at Oryx Lounge in Ezulwini, on the 6th of March 2026. This is his first performance outside South Africa since the 2025 car crash that claimed the life of fellow musician Poizen.
The crash left Chymamusique with serious injuries that required multiple surgeries and an extended rehabilitation period. Speaking after his iconic performance, he shared that he has undergone six serious operations following the accident.
“My legs were fractured, my chin and jaw were also fractured, so I have a lot of steel in my body now, and still have around three more surgeries to go but above all am grateful for life and the people who voluntarily contributed in kind towards my recovery.”
Despite the physical toll, the producer said he made a conscious decision to approach the recovery process with a forward-looking mindset.
“An accident is a normal thing in life. It happens every day. You can choose to sit and cry and feel sorry for yourself, but there is nothing to learn from that. You fall, you dust yourself off, you stand up and continue with life.”
Back On decks
While Chymamusique has since resumed performing at selected events within South Africa, the Oryx Friday booking marked his first confirmed performance outside the country since the crash.
“I know there is a reason I survived and I now want to put my all into finding out why I deserved to live longer”
The event formed part of Oryx Lounge’s regular Friday entertainment under the Weekender series, organized and managed by Selby and Dj Smish, which blends live sets with networking opportunities for music enthusiasts, creatives and young professionals within the Ezulwini entertainment district and surrounding areas.
Friday’s lineup also featured a splendid performance from the Legendary Sabz, alongside Dj Smish, Selby, Katz, Major Ivy, Paris, Tibza, Bandzie and Bandora.
Close to two decades of Music
For Chymamusique, whose real name is Collen Mmotla, the Eswatini appearance also coincides with a milestone year in his career as he marks 16 years in the music industry.
“It has been quite an interesting journey, full of ups and downs, more than anything it has been a gracious journey for me because I’ve seen myself grow gradually over the past 16 years, and I’m still growing at my own pace.”
His work in the music industry extends beyond performing. In addition to DJing and producing, he is also active as a sound engineer involved in mixing and mastering projects for other artists even outside of the deep house space, including Kabza the Small, Dj Zinhle to name a few.
“I do almost everything that has to do with music, DJing, producing, sound engineering, it’s all part of what I do. I work alone in the studio, it’s one of the most fulfilling things for me.”
Over the years the producer has developed a reputation for melodic deep house productions characterised by atmospheric textures and soulful elements, and spirituality. His sound and exceptional technique has earned him a loyal following even in Eswatini.
Chymamusique has also maintained connections with the Eswatini music scene, having performed in the country several times over the years and collaborated with local artists making mention of a recent collaboration with !Sooks, also working with Dj Cup and Nomalungelo Dladla back in the day, also recalled frequent appearances at Ocean Waves, a lively hub in Manzini, which has since been closed for a few years.
Beyond music, the artist says his experiences over the past year have encouraged him to take a more reflective approach to life.
“I’m allowing myself to be a student again, learning and rediscovering things and just taking life one step at a time. I don’t want to over plan any of my life especially learning it can go at any moment. I just want to live, travel, work.”
New music?
As part of that next chapter, the producer is also preparing to release a new body of work later this year.
“I promised people an album this year, and I always try to keep my promises, I’m looking to release it around the end of August or on the day of the accident, the 1st of September which now carries a deep significance for me.”
He added that the release forms part of a broader effort to continue moving forward while honouring the experiences that shaped the past year.
For fans familiar with the circumstances surrounding last year’s crash, the Eswatini performance carried a deeper significance beyond the music itself. More than simply another booking, it represented a visible step forward following a period marked by both personal loss and physical recovery.
For now, Chymamusique says he is focusing on moving forward while allowing his experiences to shape both his outlook and his creative direction.
“Life can change anytime, so right now I’m just living, learning and continuing with the journey. I feel like a stranger to myself, and am actively trying to find my purpose in life and the reason why I also run the Men’s Conference and Camp initiative, which comes from that awakening, that there’s more to life as gents than partying and we can figure it out together.” That same circle of men now became his support when he needed it the most.
