Nadia Nakai and Toss have opened up about their music, relationship and the creative process behind their joint EP, Do’s and Don’ts.
The pair recently reflected on the project following its listening session, revealing how much of the EP came together during an intense three-day studio session in Bryanston.
According to Nadia, the idea initially began with a plan to record a single track with Reason and Dos Anas. The collaboration eventually evolved into a full project after Reason suggested that Nadia and Toss should create an EP together.
How ‘Do’s and Don’ts’ came together
Nadia and Toss locked themselves into the studio for three days, working late into the night and recording the majority of the project during that period.
The pair said the process was largely organic, with the music developing naturally once they were in the creative environment.
For Toss, the project also provided an opportunity to showcase his hip-hop influences. He cited kasi-rap pioneers including Siya Shezi and ProKid as artists who influenced that side of his sound.
The EP blends hip-hop, piano and relationship-driven storytelling, with songs such as Ben’thini, Choose Me, Blind, Toxic and Chomi exploring different sides of love and partnership.
Nadia Nakai explains the meaning behind the title
The title Do’s and Don’ts was chosen to reflect the project’s relationship theme.
Nadia explained that the EP explores vulnerability, sensitivity, strength and the different expectations that can exist between partners.
Rather than presenting the pair simply as two established artists collaborating, the project uses their relationship as part of its creative foundation.
Songs such as Choose Me and Toxic draw from intimate and emotional experiences, while Chomi focuses on the importance of friendship within a romantic relationship.
From friendship to relationship
Nadia and Toss also opened up about the evolution of their relationship.
Nadia revealed that they were friends for roughly a year before their relationship developed further. She said they had known each other since around December 2023 or early 2024, while their relationship was kept largely away from the public eye.
The rapper described Toss as someone whose energy made her feel comfortable and safe, while Toss recalled being surprised when Nadia publicly referred to him as her favourite person after they first met.
The pair said they are now comfortable with the more positive public reaction surrounding their relationship, noting that the conversation around them has changed over time.
‘Do’s and Don’ts’ connects music and real life
One of the most personal tracks on the EP is Toxic, which Toss said was inspired by experiences from real life.
Nadia admitted that the song was initially one of her least favourites because of its structure, but said she later recognised how strongly listeners could connect with its portrayal of relationship conflict.
Meanwhile, Blind has emerged as another standout, with the pair revealing that it was the first song they worked on. Toss said he freestyled the opening section, while Nadia praised the song’s ability to capture the feeling of a relationship.
The project has already generated strong streaming numbers, with Blind reportedly surpassing 250,000 streams on its first day according to the interview.
For Nadia and Toss, Do’s and Don’ts is ultimately more than a collaboration. It is a project built around music, vulnerability, friendship and their experiences together.
Have you listened to Nadia Nakai and Toss’s Do’s and Don’ts EP yet?
