Sanelisiwe Twisha, better known under the moniker, Moonchild Sanelly, has always been a dreamer and a doer. After growing up in a freeing and progressive household thanks to her mum, the South African artist was imbued with a passion for the arts, creativity, and a strong sense of self. As a kid, Moonchild choreographed dance routines to the Spice Girls, sung at church, wrote poetry and was always encouraged to be herself whilst not following the crowds. Later on in her formative young adult years, the artist ran away from home, experienced homelessness and also dealt with many other trials and tribulations. She moved to Durban to study fashion in 2005 and later to Johannesburg, whilst taking up every open mic she could, writing with reggae bands, freestyling against other rappers, and eventually cementing her artistic vision and coining the term, future ghetto funk for her music. Moonchild has relentlessly pursued her lifelong dreams of being an artist. Where some would only fantasize about pursuing music, she’s ventured out to chase her aspirations on her own.

Now, over the course of 18 years of dedication and fighting for her dreams, Moonchild is ever closer to her dream of “world domination” as she puts it. The multifaceted artist has released two versatile records, 2015’s Rabulapha, 2022’s Phases and become known as one of the country’s most unique performers thanks to her exhilarating live shows. She’s also collaborated with a host of global talent such as Beyoncé, Damon Albarn, and signed a record deal with Transgressive Records back in 2020.

Moonchild’s warm demeanor, bold aesthetic, and distinctive vocals make her a larger-than-life character. Yet most importantly, what sets her apart and makes her dream of being one of the world’s “best performers” so likely, is that she’s authentically just being herself and using her unfaltering confidence to help champion what she believes in. Admirably, whether intentional or not – Moonchild is also helping teach others the importance of self-worth, body positivity, and sex-positivity, all whilst making infectious, genre-bending hits.

In conversation with 1883 Magazine’s Cameron Poole, Moonchild Sanelly sits down to discuss her latest track “Big Booty”, the people who helped her feel free when growing up, a hypothetical new album, and more.

Hi Moonchild, thanks for speaking with 1883 Magazine, first of all, how did the shoot go the other week in London? 

It went back! I loved it, even the energy in the studio, everyone that was involved, it was freaking awesome. I enjoyed it.

Your new single “Big Booty” is out now, can you tell me about who you worked with on it this time round – was it the same team for “Scrambled Eggs”?

It’s definitely the same people. So all the new music that’s going to be coming out, outside of the features, is produced by Johan Hugo. “Big Booty” is a love letter to my booty, like I’m celebrating it. I’m sitting because of it, and I don’t fall too hard because of it [laughs]. I save the crowd because of it at my shows and I really love my ass, so it’s just a love letter to my booty.

The power of music is really special. Your work has always conjured up feelings of confidence, empowerment, and helps people feel body-positive and sex-positive. When you were growing up, what was one artist, song or person that made you feel all those things for the first time?

The person I saw freedom in and enjoyed was definitely Brenda Fassie. She was free. A lot of households, parents would switch off the TV because she was just too honest. But in my space growing up, I was allowed to watch artists and all that jazz. So it wasn’t like ‘oh my god, you are watching Brenda Fassie’. I just remember how people were scared of her in all that she did. But with regards to being myself and being body positive, that’s definitely thanks to my mom. I think it’s the same energy. It wasn’t even the curiosity of why people are scared, It’s just the fact that she will speak her mind. She’s dating a girl right now, she’s doing interviews and you could hear the comments around the people who are older than you, beside at my mom’s house, at my mom’s house, anyone can be anyone. 

I went to a public multiracial school, and as subliminal influences from the school, I remember her seeing me wearing a long-sleeved vest, and it was a very hot day, and she’s like ‘here is a vest, and here are shorts, own that body’. It was as simple as that. So owning myself, my voice, and knowing it matters, and having the fearlessness of owning whatever I think and believe in, it was allowed at home. I’m not necessarily rebelling, but I do understand the shock value that South Africans experience because most homes aren’t as liberated as the home I came from, which also came with a creative, privileged background. I was on stage, I was in front of the camera, and this was my mom putting me there before I even thought to be there. 

Expression wasn’t really allowed, creation was already allowed and it’s only in the world that people will tell you, ‘Oh, my god, you’ve got balls to be yourself’ and I’m like, ‘No, I don’t have balls’. I think being yourself is you waking up and dreaming. Until I acknowledge my creative background privilege, now I get what people mean, because when they grow up, they are told that art is a hobby, not something serious, and they’re not allowed to dream in a colourful space.

I love the Spice Girls, when I watched a documentary on them, it clicked. As a kid, I definitely connected to just everyone that was themselves, especially people who shook society but were loved because of that. Other parents switch off the TV in South Africa because they’re scared. But fortunately, we’ve got social media, so you can’t really control the kids. They’re going to love what is authentically speaking to them.

Other parents switch off the TV in South Africa because they’re scared but fortunately, we’ve got social media, so you can’t really control the kids. They’re going to love what is authentically speaking to them. I’m sure they too don’t look at me and my music and think sex They just love the blue hair and think ‘What is this? I love the fact that this person is their-self’.

My stance is that black sheep are the ones to change the world. So kids, when you called the black sheep of your family, I was that girl. But I’m winning on my own terms, in my own image and through the way I just am. Yes, it takes a little longer, because there’s no one else. People tend to be scared to try out something that does not have a reference with regards to success or non-success rate. So it’s a part of you just have to rock. 

You have to fight until you bump into people who will get your vision but until then you need to just fight. So black sheep are the people to change the world because it takes a different way of seeing the world to make an impact.

It’s wonderful you’ve been able to grow up in a positive space and artistically freeing space. For some people, it takes many years in adult life before self-love and to be proud of who they are. It’s great that from the get-go, you’re not just being a great advocate and champion for your own truth, but you’re helping people realise it’s okay to be yourself and to follow your passions.

It can work, I’m not just sitting here and being like ‘I know you can do it’. I am living proof everything is possible by just being who you are. Rather than be rejected for who you are, you need to do you, and just do you the most. Shake shit up, man, shake shit up [laughs].

I want to talk about it because it is so impressive: you performed ten shows at Glastonbury this year, how does one person even prepare for such a challenge?

It was the greatest thing. Sometimes I’m like, I’ve been given this energy for a reason. The only thing I kept thinking about was my voice, because I would scream when I’m excited. I thought, don’t scream, I’ve got nine more gigs to go, seven more to go. The hardest day for me was day two because that Friday, I had five shows right? And the last one was at 2:30am. I did the four shows and then I got to have a nap. Waking up, I was like what the fuck did I sign up for? And then I was like okay, snap out of it, let’s go, because I’ve got something to achieve here. 

The last two days were easy because it was only two shows. If you are not meant for this thing, you could just be like, ‘Okay, I don’t have to do that’ but when you know your purpose, and you know there’s a lot of things you have to do. Shining isn’t necessarily easy but if that’s who you are, you have to do what you’ve got to do and make sure your mission is accomplished.

You were a big Destiny’s Child fan when growing up, so would you be willing to recall the moment you found out you were going to work on “My Power” from Beyoncé’s The Lion King: The Gift?

It was trippy, it was crazy. In 2015, The New York Times had done a day in my life interview.  During it there was my vision board and they even took a picture of it and Beyoncé was written in that list. When I acquired my commercial success here, it was a strategy for 2016 and I achieved everything in 2017 exactly how I wrote it, and more. So when she heard that, I was tripping.  I couldn’t even say anything to anyone, I was quiet, especially because I was involved in a lot of the project. I didn’t even know which song I would be on, that’s how involved I was. Even the NDA, I signed that thing, and was quiet for months. I signed that thing a month before the song came out, but I was going wild in my head. 

For me, I needed to go through my movement, that’s why I couldn’t be quiet without an NDA anything. Actually, I love keeping secrets because I love surprises. I love surprises for myself. I love to keep surprises, so I just keep quiet in general but it was freaking ridiculous. It was ridiculous and in me writing that I’m going to have Beyoncé as my one of my ultimate goals, when it happened that soon, I mean soon being like tens years after I established my sound, it was me knowing that everything is possible. 

For it to happen even sooner than I thought, I was like ‘Let’s go, the world’s my oyster’. But I’ve always thought the world is my oyster, It’s just these things do happen, and they trip me out as well. It’s not like I write it down and I have the manual on how my goals are going to happen, It’s just I write a love letter to the universe, and then I keep working. I do move with intention and know what my ultimate goal is, global domination.

I’m going to be one of the world’s best performers, one of the world’s best black performers as well, over the years. I’m a great performer right now but I’m always growing.

Reflecting on the six years you spent in Durban, South Africa, studying fashion from 2005 onwards, that period of your life, how significant was it in shaping your journey to becoming the musician you are today?

I wouldn’t change anything for the world now, because I ran away from home then. Even when I was still in college, I would do whatever I needed to do at school but at five o’clock, I was out. I was looking for a mic, I didn’t care what genre it was, I just wanted the stage and a mic. I started in poetry and then need more. I got into hip-hop, and needed more. I then got into the jazz space, and I started working with musicians, signing backing vocals, singing in reggae bands, I was writing for them. I was singing in the reggae band because they helped me record my project and also when I was homeless, I’d stay with them. So I paid with my music and my passion. A lot of the times when I was on my journey, I was homeless and doing open mics, man. So all of that has definitely come together, because at this point and position, I started opening up for an artist, she was that girl who did like punk, and she was global. 

The first time she met me she was like ‘oh my goodness, you are so beautiful. Don’t let anyone ever change you. No one must ever change you’. And I was like, ‘wow, that is so cool’ and after that I thought I wanted to do something fun. I thought If I’m gonna call this my vocation, I’m going to do something that’s mine. The song “Red Eye” was the first one in 2006. In 2006 I started going on stage, in 2007 I was now establishing my sound.

The first time she met me she was like ‘oh my goodness, you are so beautiful. Don’t let anyone ever change you. No one must ever change you’. And I was like, ‘wow, that is so cool’ and after that I thought I wanted to do something fun. I thought If I’m gonna call this my vocation, I’m going to do something that’s mine. The song “Red Eye” was the first one in 2006. In 2006 I started going on stage, in 2007 I was now establishing my sound. I recorded with all the influences around, I started writing the song. And then, fortunately, the producer I was working with at the time, he was into everything and had references in his head. I told him, I don’t want to hear anything. I want to hear what’s made for me, like, imagine what I’m thinking. I danced to describe my mood of how the song should go because I can make songs from nothing. He made the production, and I was like, this is it and then future ghetto funk was born. Then I started fighting to have my music understood.

It’s crazy because, at that time, I started liking alternative artists. I think because of my hunger, my speed in the studio is ridiculous. I can write a song, I can write in any genre. I can make a hit in any genre, to the point where you ask me, What music do I make? I’ll tell you I make hits. My entire struggle has helped me in being magical with quick recordings, I’m a quick creator. I can make an EP in one night. I’m just quick because pictures come to my head. Not being limited to a genre is a thing. So when someone sends me something, it’s more about what I feel from it for me to come up with a story. When it’s like a business collaboration or whatever, I just know how to be a shapeshifter in music, I guess at this point because all your worlds do exist in one, that comes at the level of freedom that I have in just being an artist.

There’s no point in limiting yourself as an artist, it’s good to be a shapeshifter.

The thing about my music is that you will always find my attitude, you will always know my voice. In any song you can hear it’s me. So it’s just another one of those things.

Speaking for myself, I discovered your music through your collaboration with Sad Night Dynamite,  “Demon”, and then from there it was a snowball effect, I then discovered my favourite Moonchild track “Mali” and loads more. What do you love about the art of collaboration, and how do you like to approach the situation when working with another established act for the first time?

I think collaboration is my language to tapping into different spaces in general. I feel it depends on the energy you get in the space you’re working in. I approach all of them like I’m going to give my all. I think now it’s been 18 years into my career, you don’t count that stuff, because it’s like, for as long as you know, you’ve got a mic, it’s a privilege to have it and you know something is going to change for your career.

Whether it changes visibly or not, that’s the mentality I’ve always had. So when I count now, I was counting this thing, it has been 18 years Since establishing future ghetto punk. 18 years later is when I’m seeing now, even the magnitude of my career changing after all these things have happened. It’s so crazy because everything has contributed to this moment now, and I think remembering that your dreams have no expiry dates also keeps you on the ball.

There’s a level of insanity that comes with blocking off all other views to not affect you and just be here. I admit it, I am an insane genius [laughs]. So there’s a level of crazy to have that tunnel vision for your career. I’ve rejected record labels wanting to sign me as I knew they wouldn’t understand me, and I was hungry, but I knew I would never sign in desperation, because I knew exactly what I need.

I knew I was unlikely to sign a record deal in South Africa because my creativity and my artistry isn’t limited to a genre. Being able to reject labels that don’t fit and keeping that hunger is another example of staying in your power, because you know you will know when it’s the one. In between all of that, there’s the hard won lessons that you learn… like when all your money gets gets stolen by a former manager, or whole companies pretending to be booking agents disappearing with everything and you’re left having to play shows for free, or get sued by the promoters who paid them the fees they stole. You learn to find silver linings in everything because nothing can break you from your dream. It takes a level of believing in yourself and knowing that hey, I’m going to make money again and I’m going to be smarter this time. some mistakes you only make once! I have the most incredible team around me now and there’s a well-earned trust there. A lot of that comes with knowing where you belong.

It’s crazy, because that’s when you remember it’s not about the money first, it was the art first, that’s why you got into it in the first place. If they steal the money, the art is still there, you’ll make more money. For instance, a lot of the times I’ve noticed with management from South Africa, they’ll make you feel like you owe them. They’ll make you feel bad for asking the right questions, to a point where they train you to not ask the questions. Then in the end people are homeless and famous because they’re scared to make the manager feel like they’re not trusted when it’s just pure clarity. They take advantage because they do that. But if you know your power, you can say: ‘I’m not coming to this party, I’m quitting and I’m going to the next one’.

I’ve now got the best motherfucking team and I didn’t give up after people stole from me and left me with nothing, and that’s why I’ve got here now. I’ve got the best team and it is time to take off. So 18 years of lessons, 18 years of development, 18 years of fucking shit up, to get to my ultimate dream. 

It’s cool that you’re into skating in your spare time, how long have you been into longboarding and what do you enjoy about it?

I grew up rollerblading. I had scooters, rollerskates. My brother had a skateboard, but I never got into it and then when I moved to Johannesburg in 2011, I worked at a surf shop called Quicksilver. So when there were no customers, I learned in-store. I worked there for three months and then left with a skill [laughs].  From there, I started buying longboards.

It’s great, I love the adrenaline, I love taking corners when I go down hills, I love it. It’s a rush.

So I know we can’t speak much about it, but hypothetically if there was a third Moonchild Sanelly album coming out this year, what would you say about it?

Hypothetically speaking if I were to have a new album out, the last record was Phases and the next one would be about finding words to situations I never had words for during my journey. A lot of situations over the years, I’ve been like ‘Oh fuck it’, but this album, when I was writing it, they are situations I’ve now let go of. I finished the album and for a month of a half, I had this feeling, it’s become bigger than just the process of me saying the word forgiven, writing the word forgiven, and owning whatever has happened. I’ve had to really feel it and let go. I couldn’t even smoke my weed or drink, I just had to go through the feeling.

This album was fucking me up but I’m ready for it. I’m stronger for it. It’s definitely the time for it. It’s so crazy because with everything happening right now, it feels like the universe has said everyone is ready to hear about my journey. This is the time when I’ve finally had words to express things I went through back then without the album being sad.

Finally, I want to take a moment to acknowledge how far you have come, from being the front cover story of South Africa’s City Press in 2015 to now being known across the globe, it’s really special and no easy feat to have your art travel across the world. What are the moments that mean a lot to you and help keep you driven on your journey to world domination?

Living my best dreams, not dreaming about where I want to be. My team keeps me going because it is easy to be distracted or get excited about so many things. I’m the only artist I know at Sony Publishing who does global songwriting camps for every genre. Having a team that gets it, keeps me motivated. My kids know dreams are possible… if I died today, and their guardians said: ‘No you can’t be that when you grow up’, they can say: ‘No, I can, my entire existence was peaked through my mum living her dreams, not surviving them’. Everything is possible and that is not just a parent saying my children can be a bird, then sitting on a couch, not showing them how to fly. They see me take flight and know that limits are only in your mind, everything is possible, and to be themselves.

My kids, my team fight for me so much. I’ve been alone a long time, especially after running away from home when I was younger, I’ve had to believe in my crazy ideas on my own and had to execute them on my own. When I have someone on my side, I will make sure that motherfucker is not disappointed, I will deliver. It’s almost like making your parents proud. The difference is my mom died, I ran away, and she was the one I wanted to make proud, and I’m sure she is. My dad is alive and doesn’t even understand what I’m doing. 

The fact that I know that when my family were having meetings about me being different, they probably assumed I would fall into drugs or anything fucked up, when I ran away from home. There is one song, hypothetically speaking, on the album which talks about a conversation in the mirror and about how you won’t see me fall. That on its own is motivation, see I find a silver lining in everything. So whether my family was supportive, I wouldn’t have disappointed them, and when they weren’t supporting me, I definitely didn’t disappoint myself. They can see me win, so that became my motivation. I could have had a supportive family and that could have possibly made me lazy as they had my back, or I could have not have a supportive family, and I can show them I’m going to win.

I just think you’re an unwavering force of nature, Moonchild. I believe in you, it is exciting.

Thank you so much! Sometimes I get these moments where I shake inside and think what the fuck?’ 

This year has been like a ‘what the fuck’ situation, on stage it has been like ‘what the fuck’, it is so crazy seeing your dreams in real life, watching them happen and being present for them. One thing I love about the fact I’ve got different opportunities, and some artists in South Africa will tell you you’re in your ‘prime’ as if there is not going to be another levelling up moment.

It took me having to experience all these things in my life, and I’m now moving in a way better space, where I definitely won’t disappoint my team, when I have people, I will show you why you are with me, I will never slack because I’ve always had to be on my own.

My team are magic, we are magic, and you kiss a couple of frogs to get to your castle, and I’m now at the castle.

Thanks so much for your time, this has been a great chat, Moonchild.

Thank you very much this has been amazing, I enjoyed it.

“Big Booty” by Moonchild Sanelly is out now. Follow Moonchild at @moonchildsanelly

Interview and shoot production Cameron Poole
Photography Kira Issar
Styling Delaney Williams
Styling Assistant Sabina Waclawek
Makeup by Liz Daxauer at Caren using Isamaya Beauty
Thanks to Good Machine PR

Top image – skirt + top Gui Rosa