NOTH

THANDI

The Weaver

Born from two worlds and rooted in one, Thandi Naidoo is the Afro-Indian voice of NOTH.

Raised in Durban, South Africa, Thandi carries the influence of both her Indian and Xhosa heritage into a sound built on movement, warmth, ancestry and rhythm. Her music blends modern Afro-pop, amapiano, neo-soul, Afro-jazz and Indian melodic colour, with sitar, tabla, Rhodes, hand percussion, deep bass and layered vocal textures forming the heart of her sonic identity.

Thandi moves naturally between English, Hindi and Xhosa, using language as part of the rhythm rather than as decoration. Her songs often explore belonging, attraction, memory, heritage, confidence and the idea that identity does not need to be divided in order to be understood.

Her debut track, NDIKHONA, introduced her with a simple declaration: I am here. PHAMBILI pushed that energy forward with a more rhythmic, uplifting edge, while ZOLA revealed a softer, late-night side shaped by amapiano groove, sitar textures and neo-soul intimacy.

Visually, Thandi’s world is equally distinctive: deep teal, gold, ocean blue, sculptural jewellery, contemporary Afro-Indian styling and the warm night light of Durban. Her presence is elegant, grounded and unmistakably modern.

As The Weaver, Thandi represents connection — between India and Africa, melody and rhythm, ancestry and the present.

Different threads. One voice.

“Ndikhona. Main yahan hoon. I carry both, and I move as one.”


Musical & Fashion Influences

Thandi’s sound sits at the meeting point of South Africa and India, shaped by the musical worlds that surround Durban and expanded through a global contemporary lens.

Her South African influences draw from the emotional depth of Miriam Makeba, the jazz sophistication of Hugh Masekela, the soulfulness of Lira, the modern Afro-soul of Simphiwe Dana, and the rhythmic language of contemporary amapiano and Afro-house. She also takes inspiration from artists such as Black Coffee and Thandiswa Mazwai, whose work shows how African identity can feel both deeply rooted and completely modern.

From India, Thandi carries the cinematic sweep and melodic richness associated with voices such as Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and Shreya Ghoshal, alongside the classical and crossover spirit of artists such as Anoushka Shankar and A. R. Rahman. Those influences appear in her use of sitar and sarangi colour, tabla, raga-inspired melodic movement and the emotional scale of Indian film music.

Her wider palette also reaches into neo-soul, jazz and global art-pop, with the warmth and musicality of artists such as Sade, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and Cleo Sol informing the more intimate side of her voice.

The result is not traditional music reproduced in a modern setting. Thandi’s identity is deliberately hybrid: amapiano log drums beside sitar, Rhodes beside hand percussion, Afro-jazz harmony beside Hindi and Xhosa phrasing. Her music is built around rhythm, ancestry, intimacy and movement.

Her fashion follows the same philosophy.

Thandi’s visual world is contemporary Afro-Indian luxury: sculptural gold jewellery, rich draping, tailored silhouettes, woven textures, beadwork and deep jewel tones of teal, indigo, bronze, black and gold. Her strongest design references include Gaurav Gupta for sculptural Indian modernism, Rahul Mishra for intricate craftsmanship, Thebe Magugu for contemporary South African tailoring, Sindiso Khumalo for textile storytelling, and Schiaparelli for bold gold ornamentation and surreal detail.

She may occasionally draw on the richness of Sabyasachi or the drama of David Tlale, but Thandi should never feel ceremonial or costume-led. Her heritage is expressed through detail, construction and attitude rather than imitation.

Like her music, her fashion is about weaving rather than choosing.

Indian melody. African rhythm. Global soul. Durban at the centre.

Imvelaphi yam iyandilandela. Meri jad mere saath hain. My roots move with me.”

“Two inheritances. One voice. Ndikhona.”