Shekhinah Reimagines Lebo Mathosa's I Love Music for Spotify Singles 20 Years On

• Shekhinah recorded a fresh reinterpretation of Lebo Mathosa's 2006 anthem I Love Music for Spotify Singles
• The cover forms part of Spotify's EQUAL programme, which marks five years of championing women in music
• I Love Music has racked up more than 1.8 million global Spotify streams, with Johannesburg driving the most plays

Twenty years after Lebo Mathosa dropped I Love Music, Shekhinah is breathing new life into the beloved South African dance anthem. The multi-award-winning artist recorded a fresh reinterpretation of the 2006 track as part of Spotify Singles, timed to celebrate the fifth anniversary of Spotify's EQUAL programme, an initiative dedicated to amplifying women's voices across the music industry in markets that include South Africa.

A track that has only grown bigger

The numbers behind I Love Music tell a story of a song that refuses to fade. The track has accumulated more than 1.8 million global Spotify streams, with an impressive 88% of those coming from South African listeners. It also features on more than 70,000 user-generated playlists around the world.

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What makes the data even more striking is the trajectory. Since picking up serious streaming momentum in South Africa in 2018, the song has posted an approximate 95% compound annual growth rate across seven years, and 2026 is shaping up to be another strong year. Rather than riding purely on nostalgia, I Love Music has actively grown its audience, pulling in listeners aged 35 to 44 as its largest group, followed closely by those aged 18 to 24 and 30 to 34. Gen Z, older millennials and Gen X are all tuning in.

Johannesburg leads South Africa's streaming love affair

Geographically, the song's South African fanbase is concentrated in Gauteng. Johannesburg alone accounts for more than 700,000 all-time streams, and when Pretoria, Centurion and Midrand are added into the picture, cities across the province collectively represent more than 75% of the track's national streams.

Tyla grew up inspired by Lebo Mathosa

Tyla spoke in a recent interview about the women she admired growing up, naming Brenda Fassie and Lebo Mathosa.

The Water hitmaker lamented the late singers' stardom and infectious music that resonated with her and fellow South Africans. She said that she wanted to be like them.

Source: Briefly News