A song that never stopped moving
Some songs rise, peak, and fade. Then there are songs that settle into the rhythm of a country and refuse to leave. Kwesta’s Spirit belongs to that second category. When it dropped in 2017 with Wale, it instantly travelled beyond hip hop charts and into the everyday sounds of township life. By 2025, the song will continue to pull millions of streams and hold more than seventeen million YouTube views, proof that its flame has never dimmed.
Spirit returned to the national spotlight this year when Nando’s selected it as the soundtrack for the brand’s new era advert. The choice felt almost inevitable. The song has always evoked a sense of unity, humour, and resilience, which mirrors the storytelling style South Africans have long loved from Nando’s.
A trio that captured the nation
The advert brought together three voices that South Africans instantly recognise. Broadcasting legend Mam Noxolo Grootboom narrates. Kwesta himself steps into the frame. And Rachel, the Nando’s employee who became a TikTok sensation for her strikingly deep voice, completes the picture.
Rachel’s moment began as a simple social media clip that showed her voice sounding uncannily similar to Kwesta’s. The internet did the rest. Memes, jokes, and excited comparisons flew across timelines. When Kwesta surprised her at her workplace to meet his vocal twin, the encounter warmed the country and racked up views online. That chemistry became the spark for the advert’s direction.
Melusi Mhlungu, Chief Creative Officer at We Are Bizarre, explained that Kwesta’s presence helped refine the tone and narrative. Spirit, after all, was already a celebration of South African identity. It made perfect sense to anchor the advert in a song that sounds like home.
@nandos_southafrica That moment when your fave sounds like your other fave? You said @bass.baby5 ♬ original sound – Nando’s ZA – Nando’s South Africa
The heartbeat of the streets
Spirit has never needed complex lyricism to make its point. Its chorus, beat, and visuals capture the energy of township youth and the determination that shapes daily life. It feels like a taxi weaving through Katlehong. It sounds like children laughing during Sunday street games. It appears at birthdays, graduations, and sporting wins. It is the type of track that can interrupt a conversation because everyone joins in.
Over the years, the song has resurfaced for major national moments. Youth festivals. Street celebrations. Stadium chants. Heritage Month playlists. It carries the same power it did eight years ago, a rare achievement in South African hip hop.
Why Spirit still matters now
South Africans often describe Spirit as a reminder of a shared rhythm. Not a perfect rhythm, but a real one. A rhythm filled with humour, grit, and ubuntu, especially in challenging times. Many songs speak to a moment. Spirit speaks to a people. This is why brands choose carefully. When a track is still chosen to drive national storytelling almost a decade later, it signals emotional permanence.
A new flavour for Nando’s
For Mhlungu, the advert represents more than a campaign. It marks a shift toward celebrating authentic local voices and the unique cultural chemistry that shapes South Africa. The idea is simple. The country itself is the ingredient that gives Nando’s its flavour.
Kwesta’s Spirit captures that feeling perfectly. It remains more than a song. It has grown into a pulse that connects people across place, age, and memory. In many ways, Nando’s did not just choose a soundtrack. It chose a reminder of who South Africans are.
Source: Joburg ETC
Featured Image: SlikourOnLife
