Kyla-Rose Smith

I'm an arts leader, producer, and cultural strategist. Everything I've made started with a curiosity - what art does to people, and what people do when you hand them the means to make it?

I began as a founding member of the South African band Freshlyground, which took me to some of the world's biggest stages, alongside Stevie Wonder, BB King, and Hugh Masekela. With Shakira, I co-wrote and performed "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)," the 2010 FIFA World Cup anthem that became one of the best-selling singles of all time.

But performance has only been one part of my practice. My work has moved through sound-mapping projects, public engagements, and interactive installations. Each of these as a way of asking what art can hold. Today I'm the Executive Director of Found Sound Nation, building programs and platforms that connect artists across borders, lift up emerging voices, and take seriously the idea that making things together is how we learn to live together