For years, Lucky Nhlahla Mabasa, known in music circles as Young Star, struggled to break into the industry. The musician from Xikundu outside Malamulele is now finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
This comes after the recent release of his hit single Ani Kholwi (I Cannot Believe), launched two weeks ago alongside another track, Nkatango. The single was followed by a music video of the same name, released on 12 July 2025.
Shot on location in Xikundu, the video features Kokwani Risimati, Snow Pie, the original Madala Gondoloo, and his girlfriend Akani. Directed by Young Star himself and filmed by Penelope Foundation Videos, it reflects on the harsh realities of life.
"The video tells the story of a man or woman who travels far from home in search of work to provide for their family. But after settling and getting a job, they forget about their children. When called, they no longer answer the phone. The message is clear: once you arrive in the city with a good job, don't forget your family back home," Young Star explained.
He described Ani Kholwi as the best thing to happen in his music career so far. "This is a breakthrough in this tough industry, and I hope it opens doors for me. My journey has been full of obstacles, but I'm slowly overcoming them. I started back in 2018 but couldn't record. It was only in 2022 that I released my first album, Dear God, but I wasn't able to market it or get it on digital platforms. My morale was low, and I didn't release anything in 2023 or 2024. Ani Kholwi is the revival of my career. With the support I'm getting, the sky's not even the limit. I believe God's timing is always perfect, and this is the moment I've been waiting for," he said.