Ndumiso Manana, the Eswatini-born, South Africa-based singer, songwriter and producer, has released his new single “Don’t Say The Words”.
The track, which opens his 2026 output, centres on a deceptively simple emotional request: do not make romantic promises you do not intend to keep.
Manana, who trained at the Drakensberg Boys Choir School before studying vocal jazz at the University of Cape Town, has steadily built a reputation as one of Southern Africa’s more versatile voices, moving across R&B, jazz and soul. He has written for artists including Sauti Sol, Burna Boy and Ami Faku, and continues to record with the multinational jazz collective Seba Kaapstad.
“Don’t Say The Words” is shaped by warm melodies and restrained production, framing a perspective on love that values patience over grand romantic gestures. The song examines devotion from a place of vulnerability, depicting absence as overwhelming and presence as grounding, emotional stakes that Manana’s smooth, soulful delivery renders with understated precision.
“I wanted to write about the kind of love that doesn’t need pressure or performance,” Manana said. “Sometimes the most meaningful thing you can give someone is the space to be honest.”
The single is available now on all major streaming platforms via ONErpm.