Born in 1992, Selaocoe combines classical cello technique with traditional South African singing, drawing inspiration from the guttural vocal practices of the Xhosa people. His work brings together Western classical forms, African rhythmic structures and ancestral songs, while his collaborations span continents and traditions, always filtered through his own expressive vision. You grew up in Sebokeng, South Africa. How did that environment shape the musician you have become? Sebokeng shaped my soul and my vision. There, music is not a luxury or a hobby. It has a social function and is part of everyday life. People sing at parties, at funerals, on the streets. Music is a ritual of connection. I learned that art is for everyone, and that sound is a way of connecting with the community and with the ancestors. This sense that music must be useful and relational is the foundation of everything I do. Do you […]
Cello and South Africa: Abel Selaocoe Speaks
His music moves freely between classical discipline and township rhythms, ancestral hymns and extended vocal techniques. Over the years, Abel Selaocoe has collaborated with musicians from radically different backgrounds, from baroque specialists to beatboxers, forging a personal language that places sound, body and community at its centre.
