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Moonchild Sanelly

Biography

Moonchild Sanelly, born Sanelisiwe Twisha, is a South African singer, songwriter, dancer, and performer. Raised in Port Elizabeth, she moved to Durban in 2005 to study fashion and became involved in the city's poetry and music scene. She later moved to Johannesburg, where she developed her musical career and established her signature “future ghetto funk” sound.


Her debut studio album, Rabulapha! (2015), established her as a distinctive voice in South African music. She later released the mini-LP Nüdes and the studio album Phases (2022), collaborating with artists including Beyoncé, Gorillaz, Wizkid, and Ghetts. Her third studio album, Full Moon, was released in 2025 and combines South African dance influences with electronic pop.


Sanelly's work frequently centers female sexual empowerment, self-determination, and sexual liberation. She has also spoken publicly about exploring her sexuality and identified herself as queer, including discussing her first relationship with a woman in a 2021 interview with MambaOnline.


BQW Impact

Sanelly contributes to Black queer cultural life through music that challenges restrictive expectations around women's bodies, sexuality, pleasure, and self-expression. Her unapologetic performance style and emphasis on female sexual empowerment make liberation a recurring element of her artistic practice.


As a queer South African woman, she also expands the visibility of queer identity within contemporary African popular music. Her work connects South African dance traditions with global electronic and pop influences while maintaining a distinctly personal artistic voice.


Notable Works

  • Rabulapha! (2015)

    Debut studio album that established Sanelly's distinctive musical style.

  • Nüdes (2020)

    Mini-LP released through Transgressive Records, expanding her electronic and genre-crossing sound.

  • Phases (2022)

    Studio album blending future ghetto funk with electronic, dance, and South African musical influences.

  • Full Moon (2025)

    Third studio album blending Johannesburg and Durban sounds, including kwaito, amapiano, and gqom, with electronic pop.

  • “MY POWER” (2019)

    Sanelly is featured on Beyoncé's song from The Lion King: The Gift soundtrack.

  • “With Love to an Ex” (2020)

    Gorillaz track featuring Sanelly, released as part of the Song Machine project.

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