Rea Gopane on AI and creativity as his music finds streaming success
Rea Gopane, once a controversial podcaster, is reinventing himself through soulful music and innovative use of AI, achieving remarkable streaming success.
Image: Instagram/Rea.gopane
During a recent Spotify music session, I stumbled upon new music by Rea Gopane, which left me wondering whether this was the same Rea Gopane who made headlines a few years ago. To my surprise, it was him.
The last time many people heard of the controversial podcaster was when he made news for allegedly turning to adult content platforms in an attempt to pay off his legal debt to award-winning media personality Bonang Matheba.
Now, Gopane has turned a new chapter in his career, releasing soulful music with hints of private-school amapiano and house influences.
In an interview with IOL, Gopane explained that music has always been the most honest way for him to express what he was going through.
“I wasn’t interested in chasing trends or attention. I wanted to translate emotion, atmosphere and lived experience into sound,” he said. “When the ideas became too strong to ignore, releasing music felt inevitable rather than strategic.”
Since last year to date, Gopane has released several singles, including “Lala Nami”, “Woza Kimi”, “Ngiyazizwa”, “The Pulse” and “Thinking of You”, among others.
Despite online speculation that his new music is AI-generated, Gopane clarified that “AI is part of the toolkit, not the story.”
“I use it as a production and creative accelerator, similar to how artists once embraced new instruments or software. The vision, direction, emotion and final decisions are entirely human,” he explained.
Gopane added that AI allows him to move faster, experiment more deeply and remain independent while shaping a sound that feels both current and personal.
Rea Gopane has achieved 1 million plays on Apple Music.
Image: Screnshot/Instagram
The music has been well-received by listeners. On Apple Music, Gopane has surpassed one million plays, while on Spotify, he boasts over 700,000 monthly listeners. His song “Nginawe” has amassed 1,449,075 streams, with “Suka” close behind at 1,219,616 streams.
“I believed in the music, but I didn’t put a timeline on the response. When something connects, it connects,” he said. “The speed just confirmed that there was an audience ready for this sound and approach.”
Live performances are part of the plan, but Gopane says timing is key and he is focused on allowing the music to fully imprint first.
“Radio and live sets will come when they add impact, not just noise,” he said.
Currently working independently through a distribution-only setup, Gopane enjoys full ownership, flexibility and control over both the creative and business aspects of his career, while remaining open to the right partnerships.
While some may see his musical output as a return to the spotlight after controversy, Gopane views it differently.
“I wouldn’t call it a return. It’s more of an evolution,” he said. “Time away from the spotlight was spent building, learning and refining my creative process.”
With his focus now firmly on music, one might wonder whether he will return to podcasting, particularly the "Everything SA Music" podcast, where his journey began.
“Podcasting isn’t a priority at the moment, but I never rule out formats if they align with where I’m at creatively,” he said.
Rea Gopane’s music is available on all major streaming platforms.
IOL