Local artist Cityzeen LS is looking beyond the country’s borders with his latest musical offering, an eight-track extended play (EP) titled Moshana Lihlabeng, set for release today (4 September, 2026).
More than a collection of songs, Cityzeen says the project is driven by a broader ambition, to take the Basotho identity, language and culture to audiences beyond Africa.
The title Moshana Lihlabeng is rooted in his reflections on the Basotho experience and what he sees as a limitation in the country’s international reach.
“The title name comes from what I have learned from us as Basotho, which is that we hardly travel and break beyond the SADC region,” he says.
The EP is part of a personal dream for Cityzeen to change that narrative through music.
“I have a dream to go beyond and sell Sesotho and Basotho through our music; to sell us and our culture beyond the continent.”
The project, which Cityzeen began working on in 2025, took close to a year and a half to complete. Rather than following one storyline, the songs explore different aspects of his journey, from his beginnings in music to where he is now and where he hopes to go next.
Among the tracks is Jere, featuring Qhomane, which Cityzeen describes as a song intended to give listeners hope that difficult circumstances can eventually improve.
While the songs address different subjects, he says the central message remains the promotion of Basotho identity.
“The core of the project is to sell who we are as Basotho.”
That vision also influenced his decision to bring together several established names in Lesotho’s music industry.
The EP features collaborations with artists including Qhomane, Phoka ea Boroa, Ati Zee, Ntate Stunna, Litshepe LR and Omali Themba, alongside producers such as Master Dalton, Trinity Tunez, Risky Beatz, Vibeboy Beatz, King Speedy and Flash Cortez.
Cityzeen says the collaborations were deliberately designed to make the project feel bigger than an individual release.
“I worked with some of the well-established artists to say this EP is not about me but Basotho and our culture.”
His original vision was even more ambitious. He had hoped to bring together a larger number of prominent Basotho artists so that listeners could find several of their favourites on one project.
However, scheduling conflicts and other commitments meant that not everyone he approached could participate.
“I wanted a big project that has a collaborative spirit,” he explains. “My aim was that people find their favourite artists in one project.”
Of the collaborations that eventually made it onto the EP, Jere holds a special place for Cityzeen, particularly because of Qhomane’s contribution and the message contained in his verse.
The collaboration with Ntate Stunna also stands out, not only because of the final song but because of the journey from requesting the feature to developing the creative direction of the track.
For Cityzeen, however, the release is not necessarily about outperforming everything he has done before.
Instead, his immediate goal is to build on the relationship he has established with his audience.
“The goal is not necessarily to surpass my previous work but to grow my fan base and the love that my fans have for me,” he says.
As Moshana Lihlabeng prepares to enter the digital music space, Cityzeen is asking listeners not to rush through the project.
His wish is for audiences to give the EP the attention required to experience each song on its own terms.
“I wish that people give themselves time to listen to the EP thoroughly.”
He is also setting his sights high when it comes to the project’s commercial performance, believing every song has the potential to reach a million streams across digital platforms.
“I believe each song has the capability and deserves a million streams on all digital platforms,” he says, while acknowledging that ultimately, “you never know.”
Moshana Lihlabeng therefore represents more than a new chapter in Cityzeen LS’s music career. It is an attempt to use music as a vehicle for cultural export, taking Sesotho beyond familiar geographical boundaries and introducing wider audiences to the people, language and culture of Lesotho.
Summary
- More than a collection of songs, Cityzeen says the project is driven by a broader ambition, to take the Basotho identity, language and culture to audiences beyond Africa.
- The title Moshana Lihlabeng is rooted in his reflections on the Basotho experience and what he sees as a limitation in the country’s international reach.
- The collaboration with Ntate Stunna also stands out, not only because of the final song but because of the journey from requesting the feature to developing the creative direction of the track.
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