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Quick Facts
Born
1989
1989
From
South Africa
South Africa
Journey
Xolani Guitars, born Xolani Gift Skosana in Tembisa, Johannesburg, South Africa, is a South African guitarist, composer, and session musician known for incorporating live guitar with modern Amapiano and house music. His musical journey, which began in Tembisa during his teenage years, was inspired by a friend who gave him a four-string guitar, leading him to play and create music. Skosana, mostly self-taught, dedicated years to honing his skills by absorbing the sounds of iconic jazz and blues guitarists, including Jimmy Dludlu, Jonathan Butler, George Benson, Norman Brown, and B.B. King. Their melodic and improvisational styles greatly influenced his playing and helped shape the distinctive guitar sound he brings to contemporary South African music.
Before his mainstream industry career, Skosana played jazz, soul, and house music locally with the Tembisa group Jazzmeloz at community events and live venues. His dedication to music eventually led him to leave his job as a customer service consultant in the early 2010s to pursue a full-time career as a guitarist. In 2014, he gained broader exposure when he performed with South African singer Bantu Soul on the SABC1 music television show Live AMP, marking one of his first national performances.
Xolani Guitars became more well-known for his work in the Amapiano scene, especially his involvement in Kabza De Small's significant album "I Am the King of Amapiano: Sweet and Dust." Throughout his career, Xolani Guitars has collaborated with several prominent South African artists and producers, including Black Coffee, DJ Maphorisa, Sam Deep, Murumba Pitch, MFR Souls, and Sjava. His work as a session guitarist has made him one of the most recognized instrumentalists contributing to contemporary South African dance music.
In recognition of his talent, he received a nomination for Rookie Instrumentalist at the Backing Vocalists and Session Musicians Awards (BVSMA), an award platform founded by legendary South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka. Among the selected discography and key contributions are "Mapiano Blues," "Qula," "Many Faces," "Kumnandi," "Dali," and additional collaborative works in Amapiano and house music.