Kabelo Mabalane to Release New Song ‘Everybody Needs Somebody’ to Mark 24 Years of Sobriety
- Former TKZee star Kabelo Mabalane marked 24 years of sobriety with a new music release that carries deep personal meaning
- Kabelo began his recovery in 2002 after a four-day drug binge landed him in hospital, before he checked into rehabilitation
- The new song Everybody Needs Somebody drops on all digital streaming platforms on Thursday, 3 September 2026
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Former TKZee star Kabelo Mabalane is celebrating 24 years clean with a brand new single, turning yet another sobriety milestone into something the world can hear. The release of *Everybody Needs Somebody*, due on all digital streaming platforms on Thursday, 3 September 2026, is as much a personal statement as it is a musical one.
Known affectionately as Bouga Luv, Kabelo has never shied away from speaking openly about his past. His descent into substance abuse began while he was working at a recording studio, where he was first introduced to a popular drug. His use eventually escalated to cocaine and heavy drinking, a spiral that culminated in a four-day drug binge that left him hospitalised. It was that rock-bottom moment that pushed him to check himself into rehabilitation in 2002.
Recovery did not happen quietly. Over the years, Kabelo leaned heavily on his faith, eventually becoming a pastor and taking his story directly to young people in schools and communities. His message has consistently been one of hope and accountability, encouraging those battling addiction to reach out and seek help before it is too late.
In 2022, he marked two decades of sobriety, reflecting publicly on what seeking help had meant for his life. He also documented his journey in his autobiography, I Ran For My Life, giving readers an unfiltered look at the choices that shaped him.
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Kabelo Mabalane previews new song to mark 24 years of sobriety
Two decades on from his days as part of one of South Africa's most beloved kwaito groups, music still sits at the centre of who Kabelo is. The new single arrives not just as a creative project but as a marker of how far he has come since that hospitalisation in 2002.
With Everybody Needs Somebody, Kabelo channels his lived experience into a track that carries the weight of 24 years of hard-won recovery, faith and personal growth.
Listen to a preview of the new song below:
Kabelo Mabalane delivers powerful sermon
Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that Kabelo Mabalane trended after a viral video of his sermon at Rhema Bible Church touched many South Africans.
Social media reactions praised Kabelo's spiritual growth, with some highlighting his impressive public speaking and others noting Musa Khawula’s uncharacteristically neutral post.
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Source: Briefly News
