Shoka Sunflower Delivers a Soul-Stirring Gut Punch with new Album ‘For Now Keep Dancing’
Shoka Sunflower is a 24-year-old artist from Johannesburg, South Africa, whose music is rooted in emotional honesty, introspection, and a commitment to inspiring authenticity. His journey began at 12, when his older brother introduced him to music, and by 16 he had committed fully to pursuing it as both a craft and a means of self-understanding and human connection. Beyond his own artistry, Shoka is the founder of GUSHER, a creative platform that supports and uplifts artists in South Africa and beyond, helping amplify voices that might otherwise go unheard. His work has gained international recognition, earning airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC 1XTRA, features on Apple Music editorial playlists, and a spot on the COLORS Listen page.
His latest project, For Now Keep Dancing, reflects the challenges of being a young artist learning to sit with discomfort and uncertainty. The album captures the tension between persistence and exhaustion, documenting struggles without offering easy resolutions, and celebrating resilience through movement and creativity. It is both a personal exploration and a universal reflection, emphasizing the importance of continuing forward even when clarity or victory feels distant, highlighting Shoka’s ability to translate introspection into music that resonates widely.
Shoka Sunflower’s new album, For Now Keep Dancing, marks a pivotal moment in his artistic journey, capturing him at his most vulnerable and introspective. Entirely produced by Moo Latte (known for work with G-Eazy, Method Man, Jadakiss, Freddie Gibbs, and Cordae), the album was written during a dark period in Shoka’s childhood bedroom and explores themes of emotional avoidance, identity, and the quiet chaos of one’s early twenties. The focus track, “Never Miss A Step,” exemplifies this raw, intuitive approach, arriving almost fully formed and inviting listeners to interpret its meaning.
The album follows The Fighter, a character portrayed by Shoka as a boxer named Baby Hake, through fragmented stages of Purposeful Ignorance, Realisation, and Breakthrough, emphasizing persistence rather than resolution. Drawing inspiration from 90s and early 2000s hip-hop, as well as contemporary artists like Vince Staples, Jean Dawson, Kendrick Lamar, and Daniel Caesar, the project blends hard drums and basslines with a reflective, nonlinear emotional arc. Visually, it references vintage boxing posters, Basquiat, black-and-white photography, French cinema like La Haine, and Blue Note jazz covers, creating a multidimensional artistic world that mirrors the album’s exploration of resilience, self-discovery, and the ongoing act of keeping moving forward.
Make sure you check out ‘For Now Keep Dancing’ on Spotify below!
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Shoka Sunflower
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Who am I? Just some guy who decided to start writing on the Internet years ago and now operates his own brand and site. Owner/Operator of Modern Neon Media, I make all kinds of niche content to suit my interests at the time. DIY Enthusiast, Brewmaster extraordinaire, and avid freak for geek culture. Follow on my socials for a more “on” version of me.
