In the rolling hills of Limpopo, a quiet revolution is stirring. At its heart is Una Rine, a genre-bending artist from Venda whose latest project, Lagos in Venda, is drawing continental attention for its bold fusion of Afrobeats and traditional Venda influences.
Una Rine's journey began in the pews of his local church. "The love for music has been mainly rooted in my religious beliefs," he says, seated in a small, sunlit studio just outside Thohoyandou. "Extending it to mainstream media was part of my growth journey, musically."
From an early age, music was not merely a pastime for Una Rine – it was a calling. "Being rooted in church, music has been a part of me ever since a tender age. Pursuing it as a purpose has been a mission of sharing the message that is in me, and what I love the world to connect me with."
Lagos in Venda is a cross-cultural experiment that weaves together the sounds and sensibilities of his Venda heritage with the global pulse of Afrobeats. "This is the infusion of two worlds," Una Rine explains. "It expresses the inspiration I got from my roots in Venda and how Afrobeats has been an instrumental and African genre that I connect with musically and aesthetically."
The album's title is intentional. It positions Venda – often overlooked in mainstream South African music narratives – alongside Lagos, the beating heart of West Africa's music scene. But the fusion is more than just sonic. It is also linguistic and emotional.
"Using the Venda language and Nigerian lingo is a way of combining these two worlds," he says. "It gives listeners a unique experience – an infusion of languages and sounds that is sonically unforgettable."
The creative process behind the album was both structured and spiritual. Sessions often began with conversations about identity, love, politics or heritage, before those discussions were translated into melody. "Some nights were just freestyle marathons," Una Rine recalls. "Other days, I would spend hours perfecting one hook. It was spiritual, honestly. Sometimes I would say a prayer in Tshivenda and let the music guide me."
That emotional depth was forged through personal hardship. "Creatively, it was the pressure to innovate without losing identity," he says. "Emotionally, I was dealing with personal losses and growth – and trying to pour that into music without breaking."
Balancing collaborations across two countries brought logistical hurdles – from time zones and communication barriers to tight deadlines – but every challenge, Una Rine says, "sharpened the vision."
The risk paid off.
"Locally, people have said, 'Thank you for making us proud – for showing the world we exist,'" Una Rine shares. "Internationally, listeners are intrigued – they are Shazaming lyrics, asking about the meanings, wanting to know more about Venda. That curiosity is beautiful. It opens doors for more artists from our region and connects people."
Collaboration was key to the album's textured sound. Una Rine teamed up with producers from both South Africa and Nigeria, as well as vocalists who brought a fresh, global energy to the project. "One standout feature was with a rising Lagos-based singer who added this smooth, urban edge," he says.
Looking ahead, Una Rine hopes to work with artists such as Tems and Burna Boy – musicians who, like him, blend emotion with purpose.
But beyond fame or features, Una Rine is driven by a deeper message. "You do not need to dilute who you are to be global," he says. "You can take your roots, your language, your truth – and still move the world. Authenticity is power. Unity across African cultures is not only possible – it is necessary."
With Lagos in Venda now available on all major streaming platforms, Una Rine is already planning the next phase of the journey. A tour is in the works, starting in Southern Africa, with hopes to take the project to Nigeria and other parts of the continent.
"We are also releasing visuals for standout tracks, acoustic sessions, and other creative content to extend the life of the album," he says.