Listen To Your Footsteps

There was a piano in the Yenana home in King William's Town that was never meant for Andile. It was bought for his older brother - his mother hoped music might ground a son she feared the Struggle would swallow. It didn't. What it did do was give Andile something to pick the lock of, quietly, with a pair of scissors, every time his brother left for his lessons.
Thirty years after we first met at the University of Natal, Andile Yenana - pianist, composer, band leader, educator - sat down with me to trace a life in music. From a party home in the '70s and '80s, with the aunt in the brunette wig whose month-long visits gave his first album its name, We Used to Dance. Through marimbas in a Catholic church, a reggae band in King William's Town, and the Friday nights at Gustav's that shaped a generation of South African jazz.
We talk about what it means to find your voice - and what Zim Ngqawana's wife said when he told her he'd found his. The night Bafana Bafana won the Africa Cup of Nations while he was crossing Johannesburg to fetch sheet music. A composition born on a boat moored off Tripoli. A payslip line item. And how Thembisa - a song he nearly didn't record - ended up sampled by J. Cole.
Also: why leaving Johannesburg might be the best decision he ever made, and what it means when your family is the music.

South African artist Msaki traces the moments that shaped her creative journey — from dismissing her own gift as a teenager, to leaving university after hearing music in the dark room, to stepping back from performance to protect her heart. Across ten memorable moments, she reveals why creativity comes from overflow rather than barrenness, how collaboration means inviting others into your weakness, and what it means to catch songs that are already hovering in the silence.
Check out the full episode here from February 2026

In Episode 145 of Listen to Your Footsteps, Kojo Baffoe speaks with Tshiamo Maremela, founder of A Very Cool Studio, about the journey from a curious childhood in Wedela to art, media, cultural strategy and business leadership. Tshiamo reflects on the different selves we show the world, leaving university with a portfolio rather than a degree, and learning to lead while grieving the loss of a mentor.
Their conversation turns to a question facing African creative industries: who benefits when a brand draws on culture? Tshiamo explains why contracts, ownership and business systems matter as much as the work people see, and why a strong creative business needs to function beyond its founder.
This is a conversation about making space for many interests while building something that lasts.
Listen now, follow Listen to Your Footsteps, and share the episode with a creative or founder who is thinking beyond the next project.
#ListenToYourFootsteps #TshiamoMaremela #AfricanCreativeIndustries #CreativeEntrepreneurship #CulturalStrategy

A powerful shift in language changes everything. In this LTYF Moments, sangoma and author Nokulinda Mkhize explores how swapping the word "sacrifice" for "investment" transforms not just how we think, but how we feel about the choices we make particularly in our relationships and in raising a family.

Check out the full episode.

What does it mean to build a life in music when the world tells you to choose something more certain?
In this episode of Listen to Your Footsteps, Kojo Baffoe sits down with celebrated South African bassist, composer, bandleader, producer and educator Concord Nkabinde. From his earliest memories of church music and family harmonies in Soweto to a career shaped by jazz, curiosity, collaboration and independent thinking, Concord shares the story beneath the sound.
He reflects on the defining support of his mother, who backed his decision to study music when others saw it as a hobby; discovering the bass by transforming an old guitar; and learning to navigate both the academy and the realities of the music industry. Concord also speaks candidly about the humility required of a session musician, why technical ability must serve the song, the importance of making space in music and life, and why he continues to learn from younger musicians.
This is a rich conversation about creative conviction, the business of music, mentorship, African storytelling and refusing to let one idea of success limit what a musician can become.
Listen if you are a musician, creative entrepreneur, music student, independent artist or anyone building a life around the work they believe in.
In this episode, Concord Nkabinde discusses:
Growing up in Dube Village and Diepkloof, Soweto, surrounded by church, choirs, radio and family music.

The life-changing belief and financial sacrifice of his mother.

Moving from guitar to bass and understanding the bass as the foundation of a song.

Studying jazz at the University of Natal and learning through experience, risk and “baptism by fire”.

Why there was never a Plan B.

The creative ecosystem beyond performing: composition, production, teaching, workshops, film music and music solutions.

Why humility, listening and service matter more than musical “gymnastics”.

Independent music releases, ownership and learning the music business from the ground up.

Working across generations and creating opportunities for young musicians.

Ladies on Bass and the importance of making space for women bass players.

Why silence, space and restraint can make music more powerful.

His continued commitment to African narratives, new music and the stories that connect us.

If this conversation resonates with you, follow Listen to Your Footsteps, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with someone finding their own creative path.
#ListenToYourFootsteps #ConcordNkabinde #SouthAfricanMusic #JazzMusic #BassGuitar #IndependentMusic #CreativeJourney #AfricanStories