FUSING FASHION + MUSIC

Words: Leila Petersen | Images: Supplied

If you’ve had the pleasure of witnessing a performance by this dynamic duo, you’ll understand just why Darkie Fiction has been able to work their way up to become one of SA’s most popular music groups. Made up of jazz-soul empress Yoza Mnyanda and rap king Katt Daddy, the talented pair merged in 2017 to create an authentic sound that’s able to move your spirit, leaving you in awe of their unique harmony.

While their music is definitely the focus, you can’t help but notice the cool and local flavour that is their fashion. And we are not the only ones who have picked up on their commitment to style and enduring visual identity... Shortly after they hit the scene, adidas reached out to them and from that relationship, one of the coolest fashion collabs was formed – Never Made. To give us insight into their music, style and partnership with adidas, we reached out to Darkie Fiction and this what they had to say.

From electrifying the stage at Afropunk in 2019 and releasing the second EP Endaweni to bringing a child into the world, it’s been quite a busy time for Darkie Fiction. How has the birth of your daughter impacted your lives?

Our daughter, Bayethe, has fit into our lives like a puzzle piece and has by far made the most impact. She has motivated us to push even harder. Yoza actually performed at Afropunk two months after giving birth to her and she still killed it! That's proof of just how much she motivates us.

You have such a distinctive sound. What are the main genres of music that influence you, other than kwaito?

Neosoul, Afro-funk and hip hop.

You both, of course, have individual styles. How do you manage to fuse your aesthetics together so seamlessly?

When we met, we were both thrifters; it's something we bonded over. Both our styles have always taken influence from the past, but as a duo, we love fusing the past and future into our common aesthetic.

Do you place a lot of emphasis on your visual identity?

Yes, we do. Our music is not commercial and so we use our visual identity to entice and draw in our audience.

What attracted Darkie Fiction to adidas?

We really love mixing comfort and luxury, so athleisure influences our daily style. Because we are independent artists who have no external team or management, we are always running around and getting things done and adidas allows us to do so all while looking on-trend and feeling comfortable.

What did you want to accomplish with the adidas Never Made project?

As always, we take a lot of inspiration from the past – the things we saw and experienced while growing up. The Never Made project allowed us to showcase and celebrate some of those elements.

What else can expect next from your collaboration with adidas?

A lot!