JOHANNESBURG, South Africa: Award winning South African producer and songwriter Sun-El Musician has been confirmed as one of the major attractions at the 2026 Music In Africa Conference for Collaborations, Exchange and Showcases (ACCES), which will take place in Johannesburg from 28 to 31 October.
Born Sanele Sithole, Sun-El Musician will headline the ACCES showcase festival on Friday, 30 October, while also taking part in a keynote fireside chat at the conference earlier that day.
The discussion, titled Shaping the Sound, Building the Legacy, will examine his career from producing chart topping music to developing a distinctive musical identity that has earned recognition in South Africa and beyond.
The session will be moderated by Lerato Matsoso, General Manager of Operations at the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association (CAPASSO).
Topics are expected to include artistic development, collaboration, ownership and the commercial decisions that have influenced Sun-El Musician’s career. The organisers also expect the conversation to provide practical insights for emerging African artists navigating the music industry.
Sun-El Musician became widely known through his melodic Afro house sound, gaining major attention with Akanamali, featuring Samthing Soweto. He later released popular songs including Sonini and Bamthathile.
His albums Africa to the World and To the World & Beyond have received multiple awards and platinum certifications, strengthening his position among South Africa’s leading contemporary music producers and songwriters.
His participation at ACCES 2026 is being presented by CAPASSO through a partnership with the Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF). The partnership covers his participation in both the conference and showcase programme and is also intended to support wider discussions about music rights management, ownership and sustainable growth within Africa’s music industry.
“Sun-El Musician’s participation at ACCES 2026 reflects the kind of artistic and industry exchange that the event is designed to foster. His performance will bring his distinctive sound to the ACCES stage, while his presence at the trade event will create opportunities for meaningful engagement with artists, professionals and music businesses from across the continent. We are grateful to CAPASSO for partnering with us to make this possible. Their support demonstrates the importance of collaboration between industry organisations in creating platforms that connect African music to wider audiences and markets,” said Eddie Hatitye, Executive Director of the Music In Africa Foundation.
Matsoso said CAPASSO viewed the partnership as an opportunity to place questions of artistic ownership and the business of music at the centre of discussions involving the continent’s next generation of creators.
“CAPASSO is proud to partner with the Music In Africa Foundation in bringing Sun-El Musician to ACCES 2026. His career reflects the kind of artistic ownership and business acumen we hope to see more of across the African music industry. We are thrilled to be a part of a platform where his experience can inform and inspire the next generation of composers, authors and artists. Moderating his fireside chat is a privilege, and we look forward to a conversation that speaks directly to CAPASSO’s mission of protecting and advancing the rights of music creators,” she said.
ACCES brings together music industry professionals from Africa and other parts of the world for business, networking, knowledge sharing and artistic exchange.
The ACCES Conference is scheduled for 29 and 30 October at The Forum, The Campus, in Bryanston. The programme will include conference sessions, exhibitions, workshops and networking opportunities.
The accompanying showcase festival will run from 28 to 31 October, with Industry Nights taking place at four Johannesburg venues: The Artistry, Untitled Basement, The Forge and Jozi Gold.
Sun-El Musician will be joined on the ACCES 2026 lineup by artists from several African markets, including Pilani Bubu, Abavuki, Francis Soal, Rorisang Sechele, The SN Project, The Joy and Giuliette Price from South Africa.
The international lineup includes Mary Anibal and Sylent Nqo & The Noisemakers from Zimbabwe, Ben Pol from Tanzania, Akra and FimFim from Ghana, as well as Chakires et le groupe Oulanga from Réunion and Comoros.
Registration for ACCES 2026 is open, while tickets for the Industry Nights will be released at a later stage. Initial access to the Industry Nights will be available by invitation.
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