Judith Sephuma’s ‘Iya Iyo’ Finds a New Generation

Reimagined by Stixx, Shazmicsoul and C-Blak

After weeks of growing speculation about whether a larger remix project was on the way, Judith Sephuma finally reveals the answer with the announcement of the Iya Iyo (Remixes) EP. Timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of her landmark debut album, A Cry, A Smile, A Dance, the project celebrates the next chapter of one of its most beloved songs through three remixes crafted by producers who first experienced the song as children and now return to it as collaborators.

“Music has always been evolving, and we have to allow that evolution to happen”, says Judith Sephuma, reflecting on the new interpretations of ‘Iya Iyo’ ahead of the release of the Iya Iyo (Remixes) EP on 21 August 2026.

The four-track collection, featuring the original recording alongside three contemporary reinterpretations from South African producers Stixx, Shazmicsoul and C-Blak, is more than a remix project.

Long before they were creating music for dancefloors, building audiences through streaming and contributing to South Africa’s evolving electronic music landscape, Stixx, Shazmicsoul and C-Blak were listening to ‘Iya Iyo’ through their parents’ speakers, discovering its melodies way before they ever stepped into a studio.

“Iya Iyo is not even the one song that I thought would be paid this much attention to”, Sephuma reflects – “But from the minute it was released, I’ve never once not performed it in my set in 25 years. It is that one song that has always been there”.

Reflecting on the recording sessions, Sephuma remembers a creative environment filled with optimism, curiosity and belief. “There was just this energy for releasing great music”, she recalls.

What she couldn’t have known at the time was that the song would continue finding new audiences decades later.

“I don’t think I thought anything about the entire album becoming what it became. All we wanted was for people to experience our gift and for the songs to be heard”, she says.

For Stixx, one of Amapiano’s most exciting young producers, ‘Iya Iyo’ is inseparable from childhood memories.

“The first time I heard it was because Judith was my mother’s favourite artist. That whole album was always playing”, he recalls. “That particular song always brings back childhood memories”.

A student of jazz as much as Amapiano, Stixx was drawn to the song’s rich musical progression.

Stixx’s remix brings ‘Iya Iyo’ into an Amapiano space without losing sight of the musicality that made the original special. “I’m such a jazz fan”, says Stixx. “I tried putting the song in the same element, but in an Amapiano pocket. I wanted to combine both worlds”.

The result is a remix that honours the elegance of the original while opening it up to today’s dancefloors and streaming audiences.

For Daveyton-born producer Shazmicsoul, the connection began during his school years.

“I remember hearing it when I was in primary school around 2004”, he says. “I used to love that album. Iya Iyo was definitely my favourite. It carries beautiful memories”.

What stayed with him was not only Sephuma’s voice, but the musicianship behind the record which was produced by Selaelo Selota.

“The production was insane. The chord progression, the guitar improvisation, the way everything worked together. Even as a young person, I knew this was a special record.”

Rather than recreate the original, Shazmicsoul approached it through his own creative lens – “I wanted to tell a Shazmicsoul urban story of this classic record”.

For veteran house producer and label founder C-Blak, taking on an iconic song comes with both creative freedom and responsibility.

“When I remix something iconic, I have to bring my own twist while introducing it to a new generation”, he explains. “I want younger listeners to understand that there was a sound like this”.

His approach begins with the element that has remained unmistakable across the years – Judith Sephuma’s voice.

“I built from the vocal” says C-Blak.

The result is a remix that bridges past and present, placing Sephuma’s unmistakable voice inside a contemporary sonic landscape without losing what made the original special.

Originally released on 29 October 2001, Judith Sephuma’s debut album, A Cry, A Smile, A Dance introduced audiences to her elegant fusion of jazz, Afro-soul and African storytelling. Songs including ‘Mmangwane’, ‘Le Tshephile Mang’, the classic ‘A Cry, A Smile, A Dance’ and ‘I Remember’ became audience favourites, while ‘Iya Iyo’ developed the kind of emotional resonance that grows with time.

For many listeners who came of age in the 2000s, it was more than a song. It was part of the soundtrack of home.

Twenty-five years later, that connection continues to reveal itself through a new generation of artists and audiences discovering the music in their own way.

For Judith Sephuma, hearing the new reinterpretations of ‘Iya Iyo’ is both emotional and inspiring.

“There are so many young artists and DJs remixing amazing songs while still giving respect to the artist and preserving the essence of what we were trying to achieve”.

That respect was one of the qualities that stood out most to her when listening to the final remixes.

“When these young gentlemen come and hear music the way they hear it, we’ve got to allow them the space to explore and let us enjoy their creativity”, she says. “That’s exactly what they did with Iya Iyo”.

For Sephuma, the project is also a reminder of music’s ability to travel across generations.

“They call me Mama Judith, Mama Judy”, she laughs. “But they love my music so much. My music is really accepted across the board. The younger generation love it and can relate to it”.

The Judith Sephuma Iya Iyo Remix EP arrives at a moment when South African music continues to celebrate both innovation and heritage.

Few artists get to witness their songs outlive their original moment. Fewer still get to hear them reimagined through the voices of a generation they inspired.

Three producers.
One iconic song.
Three completely different interpretations.
The conversation has already begun.
Which one will be your favourite?

Pre-Add Judith Sephuma Iya Iyo (Remixes) Now!

TRACK LIST