Toya Delazy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Toya Delazy
Delazy in 2012
Background information
Birth name	Latoya Nontokozo Buthelezi
Born	eMahlabathini, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Origin	Durban, South Africa
Genres	Afro rave electronic jazz hip hop
Occupation(s)	Singer producer pianist dancer performer
Instruments	Vocals synth piano
Years active	2011–present
Labels	Delazy Entertainment SME Africa (former)
Associated acts	Raf Riley Joy Anonymous Sinistarr Jax Panik Teargas The Soil

Latoya Nontokozo Buthelezi, known as Toya Delazy, is a talented singer, producer, pianist, dancer, and performer. She was born in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and now lives in London.

Toya Delazy is famous for her unique music style called Afro rave. This genre mixes techno, drum, bass, and beats with Zulu lyrics. In 2013, she was nominated for Best International Act (Africa) at the BET Awards.

Her first album, Due Drop, included popular songs like "Pump It On" and "Love Is in the Air". After this album, Toya Delazy won two awards at the 2013 SAMAs. One of these was for Newcomer of the Year.

Toya Delazy's Life and Music Journey

Growing Up and Starting Out

Toya Delazy was born in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Her grandfather, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, was a respected Zulu chief and a leader who fought against unfair rules. Her great-grandmother, Princess Magogo, was a Zulu princess and a famous composer.

Toya started playing classical piano and writing music when she was nine. She grew up in a religious family. After a sad event in 2008, she lost interest in sports like hockey and discus. She supports the Princess Mandisi Health Care Unit in Ulundi, which helps people with health needs.

Toya got her big chance during a live show. A producer named Markus Els heard her and asked her to record some songs. These songs were later shown to Sony Music Africa. Toya Delazy signed a two-album deal with Sony Music Africa in 2011. Her first solo performance was at the 2011 Africa Day concert in Johannesburg.

Albums: Due Drop, Ascension, Jetlag, Uncommodified (2011–2018)

In 2011, Toya Delazy began working on her first album, Due Drop. Both music experts and fans loved it. The album mixes different music styles like electro hop, soul, jazz, and a cappella.

"Pump It On" was the first song released from the album in October 2011. This song was played a lot on radio stations. Its music video came out in November 2011. The video for "Memoriam" was released in September 2013. This song was written to honor her teacher and her mother.

In 2013, Sony Music Africa released a special version of Due Drop. It also included a behind-the-scenes film called Takes a lot to make a Classic.

Toya Delazy announced her second album, Ascension, would be released in October 2014. The first song from it was "Forbidden Fruit". This song was praised as one of her most exciting songs.

Later, Toya Delazy moved to London and started her own music company, Delazy Entertainment. She also voiced the character Bliss on Cartoon Network Africa's "Power of Four" special. She even sang an African version of the Powerpuff Girls theme song.

In December 2017, Delazy released her third album, Uncommodified. It has sixteen songs and features other artists. She said this album shows her freedom as an artist. The album blends jazz, electro, and hip-hop. It was inspired by artists like Solomun and Black Coffee. The album includes "Khula Khula", a song that talks about gender inequality in Africa.

Creating Afro Rave and Afrorave Vol. 1 (2019–Present)

In 2019, Toya Delazy created her own music style called Afro rave. She describes it as "edgy Afropop". It is also sometimes called Zulu rave.

In 2021, she released her fourth album, Afrorave Vol. 1. This album features a collaboration with Young Mbazo. Her first song to be called Afro rave was "Funani". She wrote this song to encourage people to be themselves.

Endorsements and Fashion Style

Toya Delazy was a brand ambassador for Reebok Classics from 2011 to 2012. She told Youth Village that Reebok liked her fashion sense, music, and style. She represented the brand across Africa.

Toya Delazy loves fashion as much as music. She believes fashion helps people show their freedom and who they are. She describes her style as classy and funky, mixing street and vintage clothes. In April 2013, Legit Clothing stores in South Africa and Namibia launched a clothing line inspired by her. She has also been dressed by famous South African designer Suzaan Heyns.

Toya Delazy's Artistic Style

In 2019, Toya Delazy created the Afro rave genre, which she calls "edgy Afropop". Before that, she described her sound as JEHP. This stands for a mix of jazz, electro hop, and punk.

Her music is inspired by her everyday life experiences. Toya Delazy has been influenced by many artists. These include Kate Nash, John Legend, Radiohead, Tracy Chapman, Aṣa, Goldfish, Imogen Heap, Adele, Kings of Leon, Regina Spektor, John Lennon, Norah Jones, John Mayer, Black Eyed Peas, Sara Bareilles, Nirvana, Deadmau5, and Skrillex.

Her love for music began with classical and orchestral songs like "Clair de Lune". She was also inspired by Lauryn Hill after watching the movie Sister Act.

Discography

Studio albums

• Due Drop (2012)
• Ascension (2014)
• Uncommodified (2017)
• Afrorave Vol. 1 (2021)

Mixtapes

• Jetlag (2017)

Filmography

Television

Awards and Nominations