On my radar: Moonchild Sanelly’s cultural highlights

Moonchild Sanelly was born Sanelisiwe Twisha in 1987 and raised in Port Elizabeth. She began her musical career in Durban while studying fashion and released her first album, Rabulapha!, in 2015, fusing hip-hop and African styles into what she dubbed “future ghetto funk”. Since then she’s collaborated with Beyoncé, Gorillaz, and Self Esteem, and features on the new Africa Express record, Bahidorá. In a five-star review of her third album Full Moon in January, The Observer called Sanelly a “party-starter long overdue more mainstream international acclaim”. She performs at Kendal Library on 3 August and District Liverpool on 5 August, with more UK dates in the autumn. 

Tartan pleated skirts

I make a lot of my own clothes and on tour this summer you’ll definitely see me in pleated skirts with tartan prints. There’s a similarity between Scottish and South African fashion: when Xhosa men are being initiated, they dress like Scottish men. I studied fashion design so I have an advantage when it comes to creating my own clothes. The only designer I trust is [London-based South African designer] Chloe Andrea Welgemoed, who did styling for my album cover – she’s original and she gets my music.

Doja Cat

I love Doja Cat. She’s a proper artist and it’s so beautiful that she’s going to be performing in South Africa next month – it’s almost like a homecoming because that’s where her father’s from. A friend was playing her first album, Amala, when it came out [in 2018] and I was like: “I like how this girl thinks.” Since then I’ve loved tracks such as Like That and Ain’t Shit, and her latest album, Scarlet, is amazing. I love the way she shape-shifts between genres and is able to break into pop. I would definitely like to collaborate with her some day.

Elton John’s Rocket Hour

I love Elton John’s energy and the fact he’s using his platform to give a voice to younger artists and do good in the world. That’s what he does on his Rocket Hour podcast, where he highlights new music every week. When he interviewed me on the podcast a few months ago, I was blown away. He was very big when I was growing up in Port Elizabeth – my parents used to party to his music – and now I love him too. He’s beautiful; he’s free; he has great glasses. What a legend he is.

Barcelona

Barcelona is my favourite place to perform because the crowd is always lit, whether they know the songs or not – the hunger for new music and the reception that comes with it is ridiculous. And the city itself has my heart. I got to spend time there recently and, oh, I love it. It’s a beautiful place. The food is great – the first thing I always have when I get to Spain is paella. And I love the nude beaches there. I went to one just a few days ago and it was so warm and free-spirited.

The Ultimatum: Queer Love (Netflix)

I watched season one of this show and I absolutely loved it. It brings together queer couples where one wants to get married and the other is scared to commit. The couples separate and each person pairs up with another partner for a few weeks. It’s a test of the relationship but sometimes they fall in love with the other partner. I love that it’s normalising queerness, which has existed since the beginning of humanity but is still demonised in some cultures. It’s also just really great TV. I’m going to lay down right now, smoke a joint and watch season two.

Better Man (dir. Michael Gracey, 2024)

This is a beautifully told film about Robbie Williams, from his childhood to getting famous with Take That and then going solo. He’s appears on-screen as a monkey – to mark his difference from other people and maybe because monkeys keep climbing no matter what. His dad was absent during his childhood, just like mine, and we both had moments where all you want is for your dad to say, “I’m proud of you”, and not to criticise you all the time. I wasn’t a big fan of Williams’s music but I like it more now, knowing where it comes from.