Bucie Declares House Music’s Enduring Dominance in South Africa’s Dance Scene

• Award-winning vocalist Bucie affirmed house music's permanence
• The 38-year-old Kimberley native highlighted the genre's influence on emerging styles
• Bucie announced features on upcoming 2026 albums by DJ Stokie and Sam Deep

House music anchors SA's evolving dance landscape

Bucie, whose real name is Busisiwe Nolubabalo Nqwiliso, positioned house music as an unassailable force in South African entertainment during an interview with Daily Sun. The interview came amid the genre's resurgence, with Spotify data showing house tracks accounting for 22% of SA's top 200 streams in Q4 2025, up 8% from the prior quarter.

Bucie, who declared music her life, emphasised that innovations like the current 3-step trend replicate foundational elements from her era around 2009 and 2010, merely repackaged for contemporary audiences.

Bucie's career cements her as genre pioneer

Bucie entered the industry in the early 2000s from her Kimberley base, debuting with soulful house singles that blended R&B influences. By 2009, her track Rejoice topped SA charts for six weeks and earned a South African Music Award (SAMA) nomination for Best Urban/R&B Single.

Read also

DJ Maphorisa's luxurious R1M Rolex watch gets Mzansi talking: "All this won't matter in heaven"

Bucie's accolades include two SAMAs for Best Female Artist in Urban/Contemporary (2011 and 2013), positioning her among the top 10 most-streamed SA female vocalists, according to Apple Music analytics.

Collaborations bridge house and amapiano eras

The award-winning vocalist, who has returned to music after announcing that she had quit music, disclosed active partnerships with amapiano producers, set for release in 2026, as a deliberate extension of her influence into the genre dominating most of SA's dance streams this year.

She confirmed vocal features on DJ Stokie's forthcoming album, expected in Q1 2026, and Sam Deep's project slated for mid-year, both distributed via major labels like Universal Music South Africa.

No tracklist details were released, but Bucie noted the collaborations incorporate "piano artists" to deliver "new sounds" without diluting house foundations.

Bucie prioritises longevity over trends

Bucie outlined when she plans to release her next solo effort, rejecting rushed releases in favour of enduring material. She stated intentions to avoid "bubble-gum music" that fades after two months, aiming instead for tracks with multi-year replay value.

Read also

“New year’s eve 2012” – The Generations wedding that still has Mzansi screaming 13 Years later

Youth connection sustains genre's relevance

Bucie's comments addressed the "2K generation's" affinity for her catalogue, attributing it to timeless production values from her peak years. She observed that while younger artists rebrand house elements, the core "power of the sound" persists. Bucie's role in mentoring via masterclasses at the Red Bull Music Academy in Cape Town last year further cements her as a bridge between eras.

House music's trajectory, as articulated by Bucie, reflects broader industry metrics: SAMRO's 2025 audit shows a 20% rise in live bookings for house events, totaling 1,200 nationwide. With her features poised to capitalise on amapiano's momentum, Bucie's declarations forecast sustained vitality, backed by data projecting house-amapiano hybrids to comprise 35% of SA exports by 2027.

Bucie opened up about a mental health condition she has

In an earlier report, Briefly News published that Bucie had opened up about being diagnosed with a mental health condition.

Source: Briefly News