Naledi Aphiwe Loses YouTube Account and Her Entire Music Catalogue on the Platform
South African singer-songwriter Naledi Aphiwe has lost her entire music catalogue on her official YouTube artist channel. The “Romeo & Juliet” hitmaker shared the news on the 10th of September 2026, issuing a press release to let her fans know of the abrupt data loss that came several weeks before the release of her next extended play, due to drop on the 24th of September 2026.
According to the statement, the catalogue on the world’s biggest video site was “removed” without Aphiwe’s approval, and it also revealed that her team has been hard at work in recovering the lost music.
Naledi Aphiwe | SUPPLIED
“Naledi Aphiwe’s official YouTube Artist Channel, along with her existing catalogue, has been removed from the platform without her authorisation, just weeks before the release of her upcoming EP. It has now been almost two weeks since the unauthorised removal, and despite extensive efforts by Naledi and her team, her catalogue has yet to be restored,” the statement said.
Since its launch, the account has racked up over 120 million views, with the statistics covering music videos, visualisers, and other content that formed Naledi Aphiwe’s musical identity on the platform. The statement called for the public to back Naledi.
“We call on her loyal supporters, the Starlites, as well as members of the media and the broader music community, to rally behind her and support her next chapter. While circumstances beyond the artist’s control may have disrupted her past work, they will not determine the direction of her future,” the statement said.
Naledi Aphiwe | SUPPLIED
With the loss of the account, the statement reiterated that the team will be moving forward by creating a new YouTube account altogether, which will house her upcoming EP and all future works.
“As a fully independent artist, Naledi Aphiwe is moving forward with a new official YouTube channel. Her upcoming EP, as well as all future releases and projects thereafter, will be housed under a new official platform as she continues to build, expand, and take ownership of her career,” the statement said.