South Africa’s music landscape continues to produce distinctive voices that carry both storytelling and sonic innovation, and among them is the vocalist De Rose. Born Thandeka Cele on January 11, 2001, the Umlazi-born singer-songwriter is steadily carving out her place within the country’s evolving soundscape.
Raised in Umlazi, De Rose grew up surrounded by music, an environment that naturally nurtured her creative instincts. Over time she developed a versatile sound that effortlessly moves between R&B, electronic influences and Amapiano, positioning her among a new generation of artists shaping South Africa’s contemporary sonic identity.
Beyond her vocal abilities, De Rose is also a poet, a craft that deeply influences her songwriting. Her music often draws from ekasi narratives and personal life experiences, creating songs that feel both intimate and relatable to listeners who see their own stories reflected in her lyrics.
Her journey into music began in 2018 with the release of her debut track “Back in the Ocean.” She later followed up with “Ollegeria” in 2021, a song that began gaining traction on SoundCloud, introducing her voice to a wider digital audience.
Since then, De Rose’s career has steadily gained momentum. According to performance data from Songstats, the singer’s catalogue has generated over 28.7 million streams, while her music has appeared on 439 playlists, reaching an estimated 4.96 million listeners across streaming platforms. Her songs have also charted 123 times, with nearly 999,000 Shazams, further highlighting her growing presence in the digital music ecosystem. Meanwhile, visual content connected to her music has accumulated over 143 million views, with more than 215,000 video creations featuring her sound.
Much of this momentum comes from her collaborations with some of Amapiano’s most respected producers and DJs. Among her most popular songs is “Lutho,” a collaboration with DJ Jaivane, Smaki 08, and Wesley Keys, which currently leads her catalogue in popularity metrics.
Another standout track is “Hello,” created alongside Sfarzo Rtee, a collaboration that helped introduce her voice to a wider Amapiano audience. She also appears on “Hamba” with Sam Deep, as well as “Isililo,” a collaboration with Gaba Cannal, El’Kaydee, and Smilo. Another notable appearance is “Deliwe,” where she joins a lineup that includes Kelvin Momo, Xolani Guitars, and Tycoon.
What sets De Rose apart is her ability to layer soulful emotion over Amapiano’s rhythmic landscapes, bringing a sense of vulnerability and storytelling that elevates the genre’s vocal dimension. Her delivery often feels conversational and poetic, allowing listeners to connect not only with the sound but with the stories behind it.
As Amapiano continues to expand its global reach, voices like De Rose represent the evolving role of vocalists within the genre, artists who bring depth, narrative and musicality to a sound that is constantly reinventing itself.
For audiences who may not yet know her journey, this serves as a timely reintroduction to an artist whose authenticity, versatility and storytelling continue to shape her growing impact within South African music. Listeners can also experience her artistry in a live setting through her recent performance on Groove Cartel, where De Rose delivers a captivating set that further highlights the depth of her voice and musical presence. The performance offers a closer look at the emotion and storytelling that define her sound.
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