ByLwansta

ByLwansta
ByLwansta in 2022
ByLwansta in 2022
Background information
Also known asLwansta, Please Say The By
Born
Lwandile Nkanyuza

(1995-06-30) 30 June 1995 (age 31)
Kokstad, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa
GenreHip hop
OccupationsRapper, record producer, creative director, graphic designer
InstrumentsVocals, keyboards
Years active2008–present
LabelNORMVL Sound
Websitehttp://normvlizm.co.za

Lwandile Nkanyuza (born 30 June 1995), known professionally as ByLwansta, is a South African rapper, singer, songwriter, graphic designer, creative director, author and cultural entrepreneur. He is the founder and creative director of the multidisciplinary creative studio NORMVL, through which he has released music, published books and developed creative projects spanning design, publishing and live events.

Following the release of his debut mixtape, NORMVL Mixtape (2014), ByLwansta gained wider recognition with the extended play Your Absolutely Right (2016). In 2017, he became the first South African artist to perform on the music platform COLORS, introducing his work to an international audience. He later released the studio albums SPIJØNGET (2022) and THE CHIP IS StALE (2024), the latter receiving critical acclaim for its exploration of identity, vulnerability and creative independence.

Beyond music, Nkanyuza has established several creative initiatives, including the weekly live music platform Your Weekly Touch Up, the South African album-art archive eyewaslistening, and the memoir Really Listening: Song Lyrics That Made Me Feel Seen as a Creative Entrepreneur (2026). His work frequently combines music, graphic design, publishing and community-building, and has been characterised by his philosophy of "creating the things you wish existed".

Early life

Lwandile Nkanyuza was born on 30 June 1995 in Kokstad, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He spent part of his childhood in Kokstad before later relocating to Durban, where he studied Graphic Design, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

During his studies, Nkanyuza began independently releasing music while developing an academic interest in visual communication and album artwork. His undergraduate research examined the relationship between music and graphic design, themes that would later inform projects including eyewaslistening, his album campaigns and his broader multidisciplinary creative practice.

Career

2014–2015: NORMVL Mixtape

Following several independently released mixtapes, Nkanyuza released NORMVL Mixtape in 2014 under the newly established NORMVL imprint. The project marked an early shift toward the multidisciplinary creative practice that would later define his work, combining music, visual design and independent creative direction.

The mixtape received coverage from South African hip hop publications and earned Nkanyuza a nomination for Mixtape of the Year at the 2014 South African Hip Hop Awards. The project also established NORMVL as both a record label and broader creative platform through which Nkanyuza would continue releasing music and developing visual projects.

2016–2018: Your Absolutely Right, Hype Magazine and COLORS

Nkanyuza released the extended play Your Absolutely Right in 2016. The project was included in several South African year-end lists, with publications including OkayAfrica and Texx and the City highlighting it among the country's notable hip hop releases of the year.

In February 2017, Nkanyuza was selected as one of seven artists featured in HYPE Magazine's annual Freshman Edition, an issue recognising emerging South African hip hop artists identified as ones to watch.

Later that year, Nkanyuza became the first South African artist to perform on the music platform COLORS, performing his song "Lindiwe". The appearance introduced his work to an international audience and has since been cited as a milestone in his career.

Also in 2017, Nkanyuza participated in the Goethe-Institut's Pop-Kultur Nachwuchs programme in Berlin, collaborating with musicians and creative practitioners from around the world.

2019–2022: SPIJØNGET

Between 2019 and 2022, Nkanyuza released SPIJØNGET, a multipart album issued over three chapters before being compiled into a complete studio album. Conceived during a period of creative transition following his move to Johannesburg, the project explored themes of overthinking, personal growth and artistic independence.

Singles including "KICKSTAND" received international attention following their release through the French electronic label Kitsuné Musique.

In 2022, Apple Music named Nkanyuza its South African Up Next artist, recognising the release of SPIJØNGET and his growing contribution to the country's independent music scene.

The project was supported by performances at festivals and international cultural programmes, including Pop-Kultur Berlin and other multidisciplinary showcases.

2025–present: THE CHIP IS StALE and expanded creative practice

Following the conclusion of the SPIJØNGET era, Nkanyuza began releasing music from his second studio album, THE CHIP IS StALE, which was issued on 10 May 2024 through NORMVL Sound. Described by Nkanyuza as an exploration of people-pleasing, self-doubt and personal growth, the album drew on his experiences as an independent artist and creative entrepreneur.

Released alongside an extensive visual campaign, THE CHIP IS StALE formed part of a broader multidisciplinary project incorporating photography, graphic design and storytelling. The album's rollout centred on the recurring phrase "Stop Ignoring the Signs", using road signs and automotive imagery as metaphors for recognising emotional and creative warning signs before they become crises.

The campaign drew on Nkanyuza's long-documented relationship with his 2005 Opel Corsa Lite, which had become a recurring motif throughout the album's visual identity and narrative. In May 2024, automotive manufacturer Opel announced a promotional partnership with Nkanyuza in support of the album's rollout, citing the thematic alignment between the campaign and the vehicle that inspired it.

During the same period, Nkanyuza expanded his work beyond music through several long-term creative initiatives. In 2023 he launched Your Weekly Touch Up, a weekly live music platform dedicated to South African alternative music. In 2025 he founded eyewaslistening, an online archive documenting South African album-cover design and the creatives behind it. The following year he published his first book, Really Listening: Song Lyrics That Made Me Feel Seen as a Creative Entrepreneur, a collection of reflective essays examining creativity, entrepreneurship and the relationship between music and personal development.

Commentators have noted that this period marked an expansion of Nkanyuza's practice beyond recording artist into publishing, design, education and cultural programming, with many of his projects reflecting his stated philosophy of "creating the things you wish existed".

Other ventures

Your Weekly Touch Up

In January 2023, Nkanyuza co-founded Your Weekly Touch Up, a weekly live music residency dedicated to South African alternative music. Held in Johannesburg, the platform combines live performances with public conversations on topics including music business, independent artistry and the creative industries.

The platform was established to create a consistent performance space for emerging and independent artists working outside South Africa's commercial music landscape. Since its launch, Your Weekly Touch Up has featured hundreds of musicians, producers and DJs, becoming a regular meeting point for artists, audiences and creative practitioners.

Writing for SA Creatives, Venus Ndlovu identified Your Weekly Touch Up as one of several "third spaces" contributing to South Africa's contemporary creative culture through community-building and interdisciplinary exchange.

NORMVL

Nkanyuza is the founder and creative director of NORMVL, an independent creative studio and record label established in 2014. Through NORMVL he has overseen the creative direction of his own music while also producing visual identities, publications, campaigns and creative strategy for musicians, cultural organisations and commercial clients.

Originally conceived as the imprint for Nkanyuza's own releases, NORMVL later expanded into a multidisciplinary practice encompassing music, graphic design, publishing, events and creative consulting.

eyewaslistening

In 2025, Nkanyuza founded eyewaslistening, a digital archive documenting South African album-cover design and the creative practitioners behind it. Published primarily through Instagram, the project highlights the designers, photographers, illustrators, stylists and musicians responsible for significant South African album artwork.

According to OkayAfrica, the archive grew out of Nkanyuza's longstanding interest in visual communication and music, informed by both his work as a graphic designer and his undergraduate research into the relationship between visual identity and music consumption.

Beyond documenting album artwork, eyewaslistening seeks to preserve the histories surrounding South African music design while recognising the collaborative work that contributes to an album's visual identity.

Really Listening

Nkanyuza published his first book, Really Listening: Song Lyrics That Made Me Feel Seen as a Creative Entrepreneur, in March 2026 through NORMVL.

Structured as a collection of reflective essays built around influential song lyrics, the book explores themes including creative entrepreneurship, artistic independence, identity and personal development. Rather than analysing the songs themselves, each chapter uses music as a starting point for broader reflections on building a sustainable creative career.

The publication forms part of Nkanyuza's broader multidisciplinary practice, extending themes explored throughout his music into long-form writing and public discussions through the accompanying Really Listening Study Group series.

Artistry

Musical style

Nkanyuza's music has been described as alternative hip hop, incorporating elements of jazz, neo-soul, electronic music and spoken word. His songwriting frequently explores themes of identity, vulnerability, self-reflection and creative independence, with critics noting his conversational lyricism and emphasis on narrative storytelling.

Across projects including SPIJØNGET and THE CHIP IS StALE, his work has examined subjects such as overthinking, impostor syndrome, people-pleasing and personal growth, often drawing from his experiences as an independent artist and creative entrepreneur.

Visual design

Alongside his music, Nkanyuza works as a graphic designer and creative director, frequently developing the visual identities accompanying his own releases. His projects often integrate photography, typography, publication design and branding into broader conceptual campaigns, with albums, books and digital platforms forming interconnected bodies of work rather than standalone releases.

This multidisciplinary approach extends to initiatives including eyewaslistening, an archive documenting South African album-cover design, and the publication of Really Listening, reflecting Nkanyuza's longstanding interest in the relationship between music and visual communication.

Creative philosophy

A recurring theme throughout Nkanyuza's work is the idea of "creating the things you wish existed", a philosophy that has informed his music, publishing, design practice and community initiatives. Rather than treating these disciplines as separate pursuits, his projects frequently combine music, visual communication and public programming to explore broader questions surrounding creativity, entrepreneurship and cultural participation.

Discography

Studio albums

Instrumental albums

Mixtapes

Extended plays

Selected singles

Bibliography

Awards and nominations

Year Award Ceremony Prize Work/Recipient Result
2013 Original Material Awards Newcomer of the Year Himself Nominated
2014 Mixtape of the Year NORMVL Nominated
Best Sleeve Design NORMVL Nominated
Lyricist of the Year Himself Nominated
2014 South African Hip Hop Awards Mixtape of the Year NORMVL Nominated

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mogapi, Rorisang Ntsie. "'Create the things you wish existed': Rapper ByLwansta on how he built his own world with outside pressure". News24. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Adebayo, Binwe. https://nataal.com/bylwansta Nataal. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  3. 1 2 Mogapi, Rorisang Ntsie. "'Create the things you wish existed': Rapper ByLwansta on how he built his own world with outside pressure". News24. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  4. 1 2 Mkhabela, Sabelo (5 September 2017). "Watch This South African Rapper's Stunning Live Performance On German Show 'Color'". okayafrica. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 "ByLwansta's THE CHIP IS StALE is cheaper than therapy, and well worth it". Texx and the City. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  6. ↑ Adebayo, Binwe. https://nataal.com/bylwansta Nataal. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  7. 1 2 3 Ndlovu, Venus (19 June 2026). "The Third Spaces Shaping South Africa’s Creative Culture". SA Creatives. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Monaheng, Tšeliso (22 July 2026). "The Instagram Page Preserving South African Album Art". okayafrica. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Moipolai, Phemelo Sui (23 July 2026). "are we "Really Listening"? a ByLwansta Story". Stagnot. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  10. ↑ Mogapi, Rorisang Ntsie. "'Create the things you wish existed': Rapper ByLwansta on how he built his own world with outside pressure". News24. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  11. ↑ Mogapi, Rorisang Ntsie. "'Create the things you wish existed': Rapper ByLwansta on how he built his own world with outside pressure". News24. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Dladla, Cedric (9 September 2024). "Stop Ignoring The Signs: An Introspective Conversation On ByLwansta's Sophomore Album "THE CHIP IS StALE"". CEC. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  13. ↑ Monaheng, Tšeliso (22 July 2026). "The Instagram Page Preserving South African Album Art". okayafrica. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  14. ↑ Adebayo, Binwe. https://nataal.com/bylwansta Nataal. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  15. ↑ Kriger, Themba (27 November 2018). "64 Bars - ByLwansta". Red Bull. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  16. ↑ "ByLwansta: Your Absolutely Right". Texx and the City. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  17. ↑ Adebayo, Binwe. https://nataal.com/bylwansta Nataal. Retrieved 2026-07-27.
  18. 1 2 Mkhabela, Sabelo (16 December 2016). "The 15 Best South African Hip-Hop Albums of 2016". okayafrica. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  19. ↑ "Top 20 Albums & EPs Of 2016". Texx and the City. 13 December 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  20. ↑ Lesiba (21 July 2026). "HYPE 20 Years | HYPE Magazine". Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "SA: ByLwansta named Apple Music Up Next artist - Music In Africa". 10 March 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  22. ↑ Mogapi, Rorisang Ntsie. "'Create the things you wish existed': Rapper ByLwansta on how he built his own world with outside pressure". News24. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  23. ↑ "Goethe Talent Residency: ByLwansta & Robot Koch at Pop-Kultur 2019". Pop Kultur Archive 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  24. ↑ Perfect, Bob (11 April 2019). "ByLwansta is Sincerly Charming on 'SPIJØNGET: Chapter One' - Bubblegum Club". Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  25. ↑ Sosibo, Kwanele (8 January 2021). "ByLwansta: Walking in the shadow of DOOM". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  26. ↑ Kitsuné, Maison. "ByLwansta". Maison Kitsuné. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  27. ↑ "SA: ByLwansta named Apple Music Up Next artist - Music In Africa". 10 March 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  28. ↑ Ntsinde, Mandisa (27 June 2019). "ByLwansta To Collaborate With Berlin Born Artist In A Month Long Residency". Zkhiphani. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  29. ↑ "ByLwansta's THE CHIP IS StALE is cheaper than therapy, and well worth it". Texx and the City. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  30. ↑ Yandhi, Mans Not (6 May 2024). "ByLwansta and Opel Partner to Drive Forward “THE CHIP IS StALE” Album Campaign". SA Creatives. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  31. 1 2 3 "Your Weekly Touch Up is Joburg's premier alternative music experience". Texx and the City. 17 March 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  32. ↑ "About NORMVL". NORMVL. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  33. ↑ "South African Hip Hop Awards 2014". Blog.whoswho.co.za. 15 December 2014. Retrieved 1 March 2018.