Introduction
Sandile Fortune Msimango, popularly known by his stage name Young Stunna is a South African singer. He is known for his hit singles "Bopha" and "Adiwele". He has also extensively worked with record producers DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small. Young Stunna is Xhosa and uses Xhosa and Zulu in most of his songs.
Stunna's debut studio album Notumato (2021), reached number 1 in South Africa. Notumato became his first commercially successful album and certified Platinum by Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA).
Education
He attended Benoni West Primary and Lee Rand High School in Benoni. He completed his matric at Unity Secondary School in Daveyton.
Early life
Young Stunna was born in Daveyton, South Africa and grew up in a Christian family and often sang in the church choir. His mother was a vocalist and his father owned a tavern which had a jukebox. Spending time at the tavern on weekends exposed him to all types of genres, including RnB and Kwaito.
Career
He started making music at the age 13 and took the decision to pursue music as a career. He was initially a hip-hop musician from 2012 before switching to amapiano. He got the name Young Stunna from his fans in Daveyton where he grew up. He rose to fame earlier in 2021 as part of the piano hub roster-when he featured on Felo Le Tee and Mellow & Sleazy's smash amapiano hit, "Bopha".
In October 2021, he released his debut album, Notumato which features South African musicians DJ Maphorisa, Blxckie, Sizwe Alakaine, and Kabza De Small. The album debuted number 1 and certified Platinum by Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA).
His single "Adiwele" reached number 1 across SA radio with a total 23.4 million impressions.
Towards the end of April 2022, Stunna was featuredbySpotify on Spotify documentary Freedom Sounds: From Kwaito to Amapiano.
In August 2023, Stunna announced his upcoming second studio album and its lead single "uNonkosi". The song was released on August 18, 2023. The song is a tribute to the Msimango family and his forefathers - Nonkosi is Msimango's clan name.
Awards
BET Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Himself | Best New International Act | Nominated |
Dstv Mzansi Viewer's Choice Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | "Adiwele"
|
Favourite Song of the Year | Nominated |
South African Music Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Notumato | Best Selling Artist | Won |
Discography
- Notumato (2021)