Gaise Baba and Nontokozo Mkhize Release ‘Smile For Joy’ Music Video
Gaise Baba and Nontokozo Mkhize Release ‘Smile For Joy’ Music Video. Nigerian Afro-gospel artist Gaise Baba and South African gospel singer Nontokozo Mkhize are celebrating a musical connection that began with a chance meeting in Lagos and turned into a cross-border collaboration, with the official music video for their song “Smile For Joy” now available on YouTube.
Featured as Track 7 on Gaise Baba’s album God Is Cooking, the uplifting collaboration brings together two African voices to celebrate faith, culture, and the joy of trusting God through every season of life.
The story began in January this year, when the two artists met during the AFRIMA festivities in Lagos, Nigeria. Mkhize, who hails from KwaZulu-Natal, was among the event’s celebrated artists, having won Best Female Artist in Southern Africa. Their introduction quickly turned into a creative moment, with the pair recording “Smile For Joy” on the very same day they met.
The collaboration also became an opportunity for the artists to embrace each other’s cultures. Mkhize incorporated Yoruba into her contribution, while Gaise Baba stepped into Zulu, creating a musical exchange that reflects the richness of Africa’s diverse languages and gospel sounds.
Built around an uplifting message, “Smile For Joy” encourages listeners to maintain their joy even when life does not unfold as expected. Its organic production, layered piano melodies and choir-like textures complement the song’s message of hope, faith and the assurance that difficult seasons do not have the final say.
The collaboration continued beyond the recording studio. In March, Gaise Baba and Mkhize reunited in Johannesburg to shoot the official music video, bringing their shared musical vision to life. The finished visual is now available, offering audiences a glimpse into the connection behind the song.
“Smile For Joy” forms part of the wider vision behind God Is Cooking, an album that brings together different expressions of African music and faith. Through the project, Gaise Baba continues to explore the possibilities of Afro-gospel as a meeting point for cultures, sounds and testimonies from across the continent.
For Mkhize, the release adds another chapter to an impressive musical journey that has seen her grow from a backing vocalist into an award-winning gospel artist. Known for songs such as “Esandleni,” she continues to establish her voice within South African gospel music while reaching audiences beyond the country’s borders.
Gaise Baba, meanwhile, continues to build on his identity as a culture architect, using music as a platform to connect people across linguistic and geographical boundaries. His collaboration with Mkhize demonstrates how a single encounter can develop into a creative partnership that celebrates both the differences and shared foundations of African gospel music.
With the official “Smile For Joy” video now streaming on YouTube, listeners can experience the fruit of a collaboration that came together in a single day but carries a message that reaches far beyond the recording studio.
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