Phila Dlozi Ignites Hearts with Soul-Stirring New Single ‘Ikhandlela’

This Easter season, Afro-pop sensation Phila Dlozi returns with Ikhandlela, a long-awaited single that already feels like a classic even before its official release. Following the soulful success of Babekazi, Phila’s new offering is more than just music, it’s a spiritual experience wrapped in melody and meaning.

Phila describes Ikhandlela as “a deep prayer,” not just a single meant for the charts. “We all go through moments where we feel lost or hopeless,” he says. “We pray, but sometimes we don’t even know who we’re speaking to. This song is a reminder to direct our cries to God, the source of all.” Inspired by life’s daily struggles and the quiet resilience of people around him, Ikhandlela stands as a beacon of hope, a candle in the dark, just as its title suggests.

What makes this release unique is its grassroots journey. For nearly three years, Phila has been performing the song at live shows, creating a powerful bond between the music and his audience. “I’ve never experienced anything like this. Every time I perform Ikhandlela, people cry. They sing along. They pray. The connection is real,” he shares.

Even before its studio debut, Ikhandlela had already found life on social media. Fans took to TikTok and Instagram, using snippets of Phila’s live performances and video clips as a soundtrack for personal prayers and healing. “The comments on my TikTok say it all. People are using the audio to pray. That tells me this song is already doing what it’s meant to do,” Phila says with quiet gratitude.

Surprisingly, the official recording of Ikhandlela took less than 20 minutes. That’s because the song had already been living and breathing through Phila for years. “It flowed naturally,” he explains. “I’ve performed it so many times, and it’s always come from the heart.”

The minimalist production, just Phila’s voice and the gentle strumming of longtime collaborator Songqongqo Khumalo on guitar, allows every lyric to land with full emotional weight. “I wanted people to feel it, deeply. With Songqongqo, there’s this unspoken magic in our collaboration. We don’t need much to say a lot.”

As Ikhandlela lights its way into listeners’ playlists and hearts, Phila Dlozi keeps proving a voice for the spiritually connected, the emotionally aware, and the hopeful. In a world that often feels too noisy and fast, Ikhandlela is a quiet, powerful reminder to pause, breathe, and remember the light within.

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