Nonkululeko Mabena, born July 25 1999 In (Gauteng) Johannesburg Springs. Know for her stage name Qulee, she is a South African neo-soul vocalist, songwriter and voice artist whose work bridges contemporary soul, jazz-influenced phrasing and globally informed rhythmic textures. After matric studied 'Musical theater and Dance' for a year in Oakfields College. That enabled background in music, sight singing, dance and drama. Developed a passion for establishing herself as an artist hence the release of her debut single "soldier of love" in 2020. She wanted to learn more about the industry and ventured into doing features for artists, was featured in the Simnandi vol26 as the opening with Dj Jaivane in 2023 and have been performing in events such as You Are My Sunday (YAMS) as well as places like The Heidelberg Jazz Festival which featured artists such as Simmy, Mzizi Shembe, Fez the Soulstar and the muffinz just to name a few. Had a brief journey with voice training for voice overs, then she shortly had to travel abroad for more of her vocal journey. Her sound is characterised by warm, expressive vocal delivery, introspective lyricism and an understated fusion of classic boom-bap sensibilities with modern alternative R&B aesthetics. Based in South Africa and internationally experienced, Qulee has performed extensively through resident artist contracts in five-star hospitality environments abroad, where she developed a refined live repertoire shaped by diverse audiences and cross-cultural musical exchange. These residencies strengthened her ability to navigate between intimate storytelling and cosmopolitan soundscapes. Her collaborative work includes engagements with producers and musicians across Turkey and Europe, notably sharing creative spaces with master percussionist Mehmet Akatay. These encounters introduced broader rhythmic influences that continue to inform her phrasing, arrangement choices and sonic restraint. Beyond performance, she works as a voice-over artist and independently directs much of her visual output, shaping a cohesive artistic language that connects sound, texture and visual minimalism. Her practice reflects an interest in timelessness drawing from 1990s and early-2000s soul traditions while positioning her work within a contemporary, globally conscious framework. After a period dedicated to international performance and artistic development, she is entering a new release phase, re-emerging with material that emphasises lyrical intimacy, analogue-leaning production and subtle percussive dialogue between African and diasporic influences. Represented by Kopton Music for publishing.