African music is no longer waiting for permission to take up space on the global stage. From Amapiano dominating international dance floors to Afro-house finding new audiences beyond the continent, South African sounds are travelling further than ever. Now, a new radio partnership is bringing that wider African music conversation closer to home.
Y, formerly known as YFM, is adding Apple Music Radio’s Africa Now Radio with Nandi Madida to its Sunday lineup, giving South African listeners another way to discover the artists, sounds and stories shaping the continent’s musical identity.
Starting 1 November 2026, the show will air every Sunday at 1pm, connecting Y’s youth-driven audience with a programme already making waves across Africa and beyond.
From the Kasi to the World
At its core, Africa Now Radio is about more than playing the latest hits. Since launching in 2020, the show has built a platform for African artists to speak about their music, their journeys and the cultures influencing their creative direction.
Hosted by South African media personality Nandi Madida, the programme brings together established stars and emerging talent, with its weekly “The Big 5” segment spotlighting five of the hottest new tracks.
Its interview roster includes international breakout names such as Tyla, Rema and Ayra Starr, alongside respected South African voices including Nasty C and TxC.
For young listeners navigating an increasingly connected music scene, this means more opportunities to discover sounds beyond their usual playlists and understand the people behind them.
It also reinforces an important shift: African music deserves to be discussed, documented and celebrated on its own terms, not simply introduced to international audiences through outside perspectives.
Why This Partnership Matters for South African Music
Y has long been associated with South Africa‘s youth culture, helping connect listeners with the music and conversations defining different generations. Adding Africa Now Radio strengthens that relationship while expanding the station’s pan-African outlook.
The partnership also creates another meeting point between local radio and a global music platform. While streaming services have transformed how audiences discover music, radio continues to offer something valuable: a shared listening experience shaped by curation, personality and context.
For artists, visibility across multiple platforms can help their music reach listeners who might not otherwise encounter it. For audiences, it creates space to explore the diversity of African music, from Amapiano and Afro-house to sounds emerging from other parts of the continent.
The opportunity now is to turn that visibility into deeper appreciation, meaningful discovery and sustained support for the artists behind the music.
Nandi Madida Takes African Stories Further
For Madida, joining Y’s Sunday schedule brings the programme to a station with a longstanding connection to South African youth culture.
She described the opportunity as an honour, recognising Y’s role in shaping the country’s music and cultural landscape while expressing excitement about sharing the sounds and stories coming from across Africa.
Artists have also highlighted the importance of platforms that give African musicians room to tell their own stories.
Focalistic sees Africa Now Radio as a way for African music to occupy a global stage, while De Mthuda has emphasised the importance of celebrating genres such as Amapiano with the context and respect they deserve.
Kwesta has similarly pointed to the value of African artists telling their stories in their own voices, from local communities to international audiences.
These perspectives underline the bigger cultural conversation surrounding the partnership: global recognition matters, but so does who controls the narrative.
Where to Tune In
The Y syndication forms part of Africa Now Radio’s growing broadcast network, which includes Cool FM in Nigeria and YFM Ghana. The programme’s weekly cover-star interviews are also published by The NATIVE Mag.
South African listeners can catch Africa Now Radio with Nandi Madida every Sunday at 1pm from 1 November 2026 on Y through FM 99.2, the YWorld App, yworld.co.za, OpenView HD and DStv Channel 859.
The partnership is a welcome addition to the local radio landscape. Its real impact, however, will be measured by more than airtime: it will be in the new artists listeners discover, the stories they hear and the connections they build with the sounds of a continent that continues to shape global culture.
