Culture Craze
Dey Say: Eldorado Park’s Breakout Boy Band Bringing A Pop Magic to Christmas 2025
South Africa has waited a long time for a homegrown boy band with real staying power. This year, that moment belongs to Dey Say, the four-piece pop group from Eldorado Park who have been steadily building momentum with their smooth vocals, relatable storytelling, and a sound they proudly call A Pop. With the festive season approaching, the group is stepping into the spotlight again with the release of their new Christmas EP, Christmas Wish, arriving on 28 November.
A new South African sound with global confidence
Dey Say is made up of Chadwell Johnson, Leandre Johnson, Elim Solomons, and Joaquin Jardine. The members may be young, but their vision is clear. They want to create music that reflects their generation, their identity, and the world they grew up in. Their sound blends African influences with the glossy production of global pop and the digital flavour of online youth culture. It is playful, modern, and deeply rooted at the same time.
The group explains that A Pop came from not quite fitting into the usual genre boxes. They are African and inspired by their surroundings, yet their playlists include everything from K-pop to American chart toppers. Their music pulls from all these places and creates something that feels familiar and fresh. They are very deliberate about keeping it authentic. They want listeners to hear where they come from in every note.
Young voices telling young stories
Their breakout single, Calling For You, also known as C4U, dropped in October 2024 and became a social media favourite almost immediately. The music video reflected real teenage moments, from crushes to awkward tension to the excitement of waiting for someone to ring your phone. The boys wanted to celebrate the things young people actually experience rather than fast-forward into adult themes that do not match their age.
They say the video mirrors their real-life dynamic. They are cousins, brothers, and childhood friends who grew up side by side in Eldorado Park. Their banter, their emotional honesty, and their fashion-obsessed personalities have become part of their brand. Fans respond to it because it feels real rather than manufactured.
Eldorado Park pride and the weight of representation
There is something powerful about watching a group of young artists from Eldorado Park step confidently onto the national stage. The members speak openly about the responsibility they feel. They know their community is behind them, and they want to make people proud. They also understand that South African boy bands are rare and that they are setting the tone for what is possible for the next wave of artists.
The group places itself within the wider African music journey. They acknowledge how artists like Davido, Asake, and Uncle Waffles have helped open global ears to African sounds. At the same time, they want to show that Africa produces more than Amapiano and Afrobeats. Their identity as South African pop artists is important to them. They want the world to hear the full range of what young African musicians can create.
@wearedeysay GOD DID 🧡🙌🏻 🚨DEBUT MUSIC VIDEO OUT NOW🚨 Link in bio 🧡🔥 #musicvideo #apop #africa ♬ original sound – Dey Say
A festive season moment: Christmas Wish
Their latest project, a festive season EP titled Christmas Wish, is the group’s first Christmas release. It will feature original holiday tracks designed to feel warm, nostalgic, and youthful without losing the classic spirit of the season. They wanted to create something families can enjoy together and something that reflects how South Africans experience Christmas: summer heat, family gatherings, and a whole lot of music.
Next year, the group plans to drop a two-sided EP and travel across the continent to meet fans in person. They say connecting with audiences in Africa is a major priority. They feel rooted here and want their journey to unfold on African soil before anywhere else.
TikTok fame, growing fandom, and what comes next
Dey Say built their early following through creative mashups and short performances on TikTok. Their harmonies and playful energy quickly went viral, and they now have more than fifty thousand followers and millions of views. Their growth has been organic rather than manufactured. Their fans discovered them one clip at a time.
As 2026 approaches, the boys say they are ready to put in the work. They know this moment could be the beginning of something historic for South African pop. If Christmas Wish lands the way they hope, Dey Say might become the soundtrack of the season and possibly the next big export in local youth music.
For now, one thing is clear. South Africa finally has a pop boy band to call its own, and Eldorado Park is cheering them on.
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Source: IOL
Featured Image: News24
