New Zealand–based AfroSoul recording artist Ch! Nonso (pronounced Chee-Nonso) is recognised for the way he weaves code-switching into his lyricism.

His music delves into the experience of straddling multiple cultural identities, as he navigates life as a creative within Australasia’s growing African diaspora. But his latest video, “My Own” turns his lens inwards and faces the duality within.

Produced by Mazbou Q, it offers the first glimpse into Ch! Nonso’s upcoming 2026 album, a body of work set to combine energetic, layered tracks with moments of intimacy. The track is a bass led, mid tempo groove that bridges Nigerian Pidgin, Igbo, and the fluid rhythms of modern Afrobeats. 

The 37-year-old was born in Enugu, Nigeria, surrounded by music as a child in the ’80s. He recalls Southeastern Nigerian sounds played alongside African American blues, soul, and funk. That eclectic mix, combined with his experience of learning to code switch after moving to New Zealand, influences his music today.

Directed by Devan Narsai and supported by NZ On Air, the video gives shape to the song’s central theme: the intimate dialogue between two halves of the self—the extrovert and the introvert, the anima and animus, yin and yang.

Speaking with Stuff journalist Mildred Armah about his debut EP Kola Nuts & Chardonnay, Nonso was recognised for speaking on traditional African worldviews, colonial histories, and Western systems.

He said his debut EP was as “a symbolic reclamation of Indigenous identities … so anyone listening can hear specific details of our past and see there’s also a seeking of our own lost past.” Read the full interview here.

Adding to his momentum, Ch! Nonso was recently announced as a Top 5 finalist at the 2025 APRA Silver Scroll Awards, alongside long-time collaborator Mazbou Q, for their track “TORQUE” (featured on Mazbou Q’s RAP SCIENCE album and sampling Nonso’s single “Ka Home”).

The nomination marks his first major recognition as a songwriter—cementing his growing influence in Aotearoa’s music landscape.

Play ‘My Own’ below: