Toya Delazy
BET Award nominee, Toya Delazy is a singer/producer, based in East London born in South Africa. Her music is a blend of Jazz, Electro and Hip-Hop (she calls it JEHP).
Pianist, producer, rapper and singer-songwriter Latoya Buthelezi, known as Toya Delazy, has made her mark as one of the finest performers to break new ground in the South Africa’s burgeoning music industry. At age 9 she began to train in classical piano, and attended Howard College’s Jazz Program in Durban in 2009. Due to her exposure to different influences, from Amy Winehouse, Lauryn Hill, Skrillex, to Radiohead and Kings of Leon, she pieced together the different nuances, performing around Durban’s pubs with her keyboard and a beatboxer, before being scouted to play Africa Day in 2011.
Toya eventually signed to Sony Music Africa and released her debut album “Due Drop” in April 2012, raising the bar to fresh, new heights.
With more than 1600 radio plays and 400 000 Youtube views*, her first single “Pump It On” dominated across South Africa’s Top 40 for 16 weeks and beyond, with the iconic video. The “live life to the fullest” concept behind the track prompted Reebok to recruit her as a brand ambassador in 2012. With following singles “Heart,” “Love Is In The Air” and “Are You Gonna Stay”, Due Drop soon reached Gold status and got Awarded as Newcomer of The Year, Best Pop Album and Best Produced at the 2013 South African Music Awards and, the same year, received a BET Award Nomination for Best International Act. After a 120 dates Tour across Southern Africa, between 2012 and 2014, Toya also opened for Paolo Nutini and Ne-Yo during their African Tour.
Toya left Sony the next year when the two parties couldn’t come to terms on a dysfunctional 360 deal and started her own record company, Delazy Entertainment.
Toya moved to London and released her 2nd album, titled “Ascension”, with hit singles “Forbidden Fruit” and “My City”. The album propelled Toya to international levels, headlining at the Apollo Theater NYC, scoping Best International Song Award at the 2016 Out Music Awards held in New York with Forbidden Fruit, and recently headlining a SOFAR showcase in London.
Toya is expected to launch her third album in 2017, after releasing two new singles on June 16. The singles ‘Diamonds in The Rough’ and ‘No Follow’ show Toya’s creative growth, adventuring in future bass and grime sounds, always with a touch of soul and empowering lyrics. The singles have since been added to Apple Music’s ‘Hot Tracks’ and ‘Best of the week’ playlists.
Achievements 2016/2017
• – Best International Song at Out Music Awards for Forbidden Fruit
• – Headliner at London Pride 2016, Hamburg CSD, YouBloom Dublin, Lambeth Country Show, Bestival (Nando’s stage).
• – Mentor on the Nando’s music exchange.
• – #6 on the Music Week Urban Charts with Luv My City
• – Finalist of the Midem Artist Accelerator in Cannes, France
• – Voice coach on The Voice South Africa
• – Cartoon Network Powerpuff Girls theme song for Africa
• – Levis brand ambassador