Katanga Junior Celebrates Tanzanian Roots in New Afrobeat Single

MEDIA RELEASE 12/09/25

Tanzanian-born, Alice Springs–based artist Katanga Junior is set to release his highly anticipated five-track EP, Bongo, on Friday, September 19. The project sees him expand his signature blend of afrobeat, roots, and global sounds while paying homage to his East African heritage.

Bongo draws its energy from the vibrant rhythms of Africa, weaving together the sounds of Nigeria, Tanzania, and South Africa. Across the EP, Katanga Junior collaborated with a powerhouse lineup of Tanzanian producers, each contributing their own unique flavor and pushing him into new creative territory.

The lead single, “Mila”, is a high-energy afrobeat anthem that captures the tension between change and tradition. Written from Katanga Junior’s perspective as a Tanzanian living in Australia, the track is both infectious and deeply personal,  celebrating culture and identity while inviting listeners straight to the dancefloor.

Earlier this year, Katanga Junior made waves with Wambea and Tanzania, both of which landed plays on triple j Unearthed and earned him a national TV shout out on ABC Breakfast. May saw the release of the irresistibly catchy Pay Day, further building momentum. Rounding out the EP are two fresh tracks, Sativa and the newly released Mila.

The past 12 months have been a breakthrough for Katanga Junior. His third album, Pamoja, a cross-cultural collaboration with Central Australian First Nations artists, won him Best Blues & Roots Song at the 2024 NT Music Awards for “Move.” He’s since headlined Wide Open Space Festival, opened for Cat Empire at the Darwin Festival finale, and toured nationally to audiences at Nannup Music Festival and WOMADelaide.

Coinciding with the release of Bongo, Katanga Junior will be in Hamburg, Germany for Reeperbahn Festival and Conference, where he is part of MusicNT’s Trade Mission delegation representing Northern Territory music on an international stage. “Releasing Bongo while I’m in Hamburg for Reeperbahn feels like the perfect way to share my music with the world,” says Katanga Junior. “This project is rooted in Tanzania but shaped by my life in Australia, and to bring that story to an international stage is really special.”

With Bongo, Katanga Junior cements himself as one of Australia’s most exciting cross-cultural voices — an artist equally at home in the desert heart of the NT and on the global stage.

ENDS

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Shauna Upton, I RATE MGMT

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