Monika Amunyela
After nearly five years of anticipation, the king of summer, Sunny Boy, is finally ready to unveil his long-awaited album, The Kingdom of Yaziza.
For the award-winning artist, the road to this release has been nothing but a rollercoaster, a journey filled with setbacks, loss and rebirth.
“We worked on this album for almost five years. The first time we worked on it, it got lost. We lost like 80% of the album. We had to start over again,” he said.
Despite the chaos, he refused to give up.
On his third try, things finally started looking up.
The title ‘The Kingdom of Yaziza’ carries a deep spiritual and personal meaning for Sunny Boy.
Originally, the album was meant to be called Love Nyizi Vibes – but as life began to take turns, his vision shifted.
“Somebody told me that when things start happening all at once, it’s probably a breakthrough – God is aligning everything in your favour,” Sunny Boy said.
He added that the word ‘kingdom’ represents power, peace and arrival.
“When you talk about a kingdom, you’re talking about something powerful, a safe haven – a zone that nobody can go to. It’s where you’ve finally arrived,” Sunny Boy said.
Yaziza symbolises a place of victory after years of persistence.
Through the Kingdom of Yaziza, Sunny Boy reclaims his crown as a king who never gave up on his craft.
The Kingdom of Yaziza tells a story of perseverance, faith and endurance.
“Perseverance is key. Life will never be a smooth road. There will be bumps and potholes. But you’ve got to hold on and enjoy the bump,” he stated.
More than just an album, this project stands as proof of his resilience and his love for his fans.
“As long as I’m alive, I’m going to keep going. I did it for them because I love them. If they hurt, I hurt more,” said Sunny Boy.
True to his collaborative spirit, Sunny Boy’s album incorporates different generations of Namibian musicians – from legends to new comers, the likes of Top Cheri, Tate Buti, King TeeDee, Miss Gideon, Snazzy, Skrypt and many more.
His respect for veterans and newcomers shines through, as he aims to build a bridge across the country’s evolving sound.
“I’m all about collaborating so we can break barriers and cross over to Africa and the world, which is why I prefer to call producers into the studio at the same time so they can create together,” he said.
The producers who helped shape the album include Mr Glo Solani, Champion League DJz, DJ KBoz, DJ Vuyo and Andrew on the Beat.
Musically, Sunny Boy describes the album as his most experimental and free work yet, using it as a project to express himself, have fun and experiment.
“I’m more loose – not overthinking anything. I’m giving people me like they’ve never seen me before,” he remarked.
The album fuses hip hop, kwaito and dance with fresh touches of amapiano, particularly on tracks like Efundula, which he describes as a wedding, summer, ampiano vibes type of song.