South African contemporary R&B artist Nanette returns with Painfully Happy (Deluxe), the final chapter in the acclaimed project that explored grief, healing and emotional perseverance. Expanding the original release with five new songs, the deluxe edition captures an artist who has moved beyond survival into hope, embracing the next stage of her creative journey. While deeply personal at its core, the project also reflects Nanette’s growing artistic ambition, looking beyond borders and towards a more connected future for African music.
Painfully Happy (Deluxe) broadens the emotional world introduced on the original project. Following the release of Baggage, produced by Grammy Award winner Andre Harris and Ask For Nun, the deluxe edition introduces One Life, an uplifting reminder to embrace the present, Little Light, a deeply personal tribute to the memory of Nanette’s late aunt who inspired the album title and Taking Me Places, the project’s focus single, which celebrates growth, possibility and trusting where life can lead. Together, the new songs transform Painfully Happy from a story of surviving past heartbreak into one of embracing the future.
“I’ve come to understand grief in a much deeper way; it no longer cripples me like it once did. These new songs reflect that growth. They’re lighter, more hopeful, and about letting go of the pain, embracing healing, and looking forward to building a better life for myself. It feels like the closing of one chapter and the beginning of another,” says Nanette.
The project’s defining moment lands with Taking Me Places a collaboration that embodies the growing creative relationship between South Africa and Nigeria. Written during a songwriting camp at Mavin Studios in Lagos, the song brings together Nanette, acclaimed Nigerian songwriter Mbryo, and South African producers MashBeatz and Christer. Blending contemporary R&B with influences from both countries, the record celebrates cultural exchange, shared ambition and the creative possibilities that emerge when African artists work beyond borders.
“Working with Nanette was such a beautiful experience. It felt seamless, like two inseparable friends creating art without borders or restraint. The moment we wrapped that session, we knew we had something special. I’m beyond excited and can’t wait to share this record with the world,” says Mbryo.
That creative chemistry was evident almost immediately. Less than twenty-four hours after completing the record, Nanette and Mbryo debuted Taking Me Places before a packed audience at Obi’s House in Lagos, where the crowd’s reaction was electric. A teaser from the performance generated more than 100,000 TikTok views, offering an early glimpse of the excitement surrounding a record that resonated with audiences long before its official release.
Painfully Happy (Deluxe) continues to showcase Nanette’s distinctive fusion of contemporary R&B, soul, hip-hop and subtle African influences while introducing a brighter, more hopeful sound. The additional songs preserve the emotional honesty that has become synonymous with her songwriting while revealing a greater sense of confidence, openness and possibility. Together, they complete a body of work that charts an artist’s journey from emotional uncertainty towards self-acceptance, reaffirming Nanette’s gift for transforming deeply personal experiences into stories with universal resonance.
As one of a new generation of women redefining contemporary African R&B, Nanette has steadily built a career grounded in authenticity, vulnerability and fearless creativity. From her self-written debut album Bad Weather, which marked the start of her journey as a producer, to acclaimed collaborations with Kelvin Momo, Blxckie, Nasty C and Tellaman, recognition through Apple Music’s ALPHA campaign and Spotify’s Ones to Watch, and standout performances alongside Mariah The Scientist and Ella Mai, she has consistently expanded both her artistic vision and continental reach. Through Painfully Happy (Deluxe) and the cross-border vision of Taking Me Places, Nanette continues to position herself among the artists shaping the future of African R&B while demonstrating how meaningful collaboration is reshaping the sound of the continent.
As Painfully Happy (Deluxe) begins its journey across Africa and beyond, Nanette presents a vision of contemporary African music that is increasingly collaborative, increasingly connected and increasingly ambitious, proving that the continent’s next creative movement will not be defined by borders, but by the artists willing to cross them. Through Taking Me Places, she closes one chapter of her own journey while helping open another for African R&B itself
