Phina—aka Sarah Michael Kitinga, born in 1996—has been shaping her unique sound since the age of six. Singing in choirs led to TV talent contests, as she leaned into her Tanzanian roots to blend her homegrown Bongo Flava stylings with Afrobeat and R&B. The result is a confident, impactful blend, with upbeat tracks pulling you onto the dance floor alongside heartfelt Swahili ballads in the artist’s distinctively warm tone. Now, 2025 marks the singer-songwriter’s time to bring it to a new level, having scored hits in Tanzania and beyond with the likes of her breakout “Upo Nyonyo”, traditional-tinged summertime bop “Bado Sijasaikia”, dreamy Afrobeats single “Rara” and synth-tinted “Sisi Ni Wale”. Her new EP, Melanin Therapy, with its stand-out track “Kesho Yangu” dissects overcoming struggles for brighter things, which are definitely on the cards for Phina. “I am truly honoured to be selected as the face of Apple Music’s Up Next campaign for East Africa,” Phina tells Apple Music. “I’m beyond grateful to Apple Music for shining a light on my journey and my sound. This encourages me to continue creating so as to reach even more listeners through my music.”