MUSIC FEATURE
FINDING HER FIRE
BY VENECIA VALENTINE
Cape Town artist Anica Kiana is blending nostalgic pop influences with raw emotion as she steps into a new chapter of music, collaboration, and self-discovery.
Since stepping into the music industry in 2019, Anica Kiana has built a reputation for music that captures the complexities of growing up, from heartbreak and identity to healing, love, and empowerment.
FINDING HER VOICE At the close of 2025, Anica released her deeply personal EP, Not The Same, a project that resonated strongly with listeners for its honesty and nostalgic undertones. Blending early-2000s pop influences with a contemporary edge, the EP explores emotional growth and the bittersweet nature of change. The release also helped earn her a nomination for
“ I’ m still growing and discovering myself as an artist.”
Pop Artist of the Year at the Basadi in Music Awards.
Reflecting on the inspiration behind the project, Anica told Inbound SA:“ The inspiration behind my EP came from growing up in the 2000s and listening
88 INBOUND SA / JUNE 2026