Zoe Zana, the Bishop Lavis-born singer who fought her way to the Top 4 of Idols South Africa in 2013, has won Heart FM's presenter search and now hosts her own late-night weekend show on the Cape Town station.
Her first broadcast in the 10pm to 1am slot airs the first weekend of December, every Friday and Saturday night. For a Black woman from Bishop Lavis who has spent 15 years building a career in an industry that rarely hands our communities the microphone, this is more than a personal victory. It is proof of what talent from the Cape Flats can achieve when doors are finally forced open.
From Idols to the airwaves: a 15-year climb
According to IOL, Zana reached the Top 4 of Idols South Africa in 2013 and the Top 5 of Die Kontrak Season 3 in 2023. Idols, a franchise adapted across 46 regions according to Wikipedia's list of Idols winners, made her a familiar face to South African audiences, but it never made her an overnight success. Nothing about her journey has been overnight.
She has released 13 singles, exploring different sounds and genres along the way, and performed internationally with a live band in Morocco, South Korea, Malaysia, China and the Maldives. That is a working artist's resume, built gig by gig, single by single, in an industry that too often pushes Black women to the margins once the reality show lights go off.
Her latest single, 'Miss You Babe', was released in October 2026 and is available on all major streaming platforms.
'This is mine': the audition that changed everything
Zana told IOL she has no traditional radio background. She is, in her own words, a Heart FM listener who heard about the presenter search shortly after returning home from China.
'When I heard that advert, something in me just said, 'This is mine',' she said. 'I got home and immediately recorded my audition video.'
The video gained traction fast. Local supporters began sharing it, commenting and tagging Heart FM, and it eventually passed 100 000 views. The station liked the video, and on 1 November she was announced as the winner of the search.
'I still struggle to put that moment into words,' she admitted. 'When they started playing the dramatic music, I think I went into survival mode. Having previously made it into the Top 4 of Idols South Africa, I knew what it felt like to come so close to something and not necessarily get the outcome you hoped for. So I emotionally detached myself from the moment because I didn't want to set myself up for heartbreak.'
What her win means for Bishop Lavis and the Cape Flats
Zana's story carries weight beyond one radio slot. Bishop Lavis, like so many townships shaped by the forced removals and spatial violence of apartheid, has produced generations of artists who were never given the platforms their talent deserved. When a daughter of Bishop Lavis takes over a major station's weekend late-night slot, young Black listeners in those same streets hear something the legacy of apartheid tried to deny them: that their voices belong on air.
'Growing up in Bishop Lavis, pursuing a career in entertainment and travelling the world through music have all shaped the person and entertainer I am today,' Zana said.
Her community carried her campaign online, and the 100 000 views on her audition video were not an algorithm accident. They were a neighbourhood insisting that one of its own be seen. That kind of collective backing is how Black talent survives in spaces that were never designed for it.
As The Daily Voice reported, Zana beat out the competition with no formal radio training, relying on the performance instincts sharpened over a decade and a half on stages from Cape Town to Seoul.
What to expect from the show
Listeners tuning in on those Friday and Saturday nights should expect something warmer than a standard presenter slot.
'My approach is to make the show feel less like you're listening to a presenter and more like you're catching up with a friend you've been waiting all week to hear from,' she said.
'There'll be plenty of laughs, interesting conversations, relatable topics, spontaneous moments and, of course, great music.'
She is also clear that radio does not mean retirement from recording. Music, she said, remains where her heart lies.
'My music continues to evolve, and I'm passionate about creating songs that people can connect with,' she said. 'Music remains a huge part of who I am, and I have no intention of slowing down creatively.'
FAQ
When does Zoe Zana's Heart FM show start?
Her first show airs the first weekend of December, every Friday and Saturday night from 10pm to 1am on Heart FM.
How did Zoe Zana win the Heart FM presenter search?
She recorded an audition video after hearing the advert on Heart FM, her supporters shared it until it passed 100 000 views, and on 1 November she was announced as the winner.
Where is Zoe Zana from?
She was born and raised in Bishop Lavis on the Cape Flats, and she is 32 years old.
Is Zoe Zana still making music?
Yes. Her latest single, 'Miss You Babe', was released in October 2026, and she says she has no intention of slowing down creatively.