Her opening acts included a spine-chilling poetic monologue by sister Ntsiki Mazwai and umxhentso (Xhosa traditional dance). When she eventually appeared on stage, she was a vision dressed in an oversized tulle coat designed by Black Coffee and cornrowed up-do with cowrie shells.
“Ziyabuya laphaya! [It’s going down] We worked hard on the show and a well-oiled machine. We will be celebrating 20 years of the Zabalaza album with people’s favourite songs and songs from the new album,” Mazwai said in-between songs.
Recorded in Johannesburg, Dakar and New York City, the inter-continental album features traditional West African instruments and synthesizers. Jazz musicians, Nduduzo Makhathini and Thandi Ntuli, also make guest appearances.
“It means to look back while looking forward or to fetch what has been left behind to move forward,” Mazwai explains the meaning behind Sankofa, a Twi word derived from the Ghanaian Akan tribe and is represented in the adinkra symbols of a bird icon.
“It’s a truly Pan-African album but also goes out into the diaspora – any African person living on the continent or elsewhere can listen to this work and find something for themselves.”
Ahead of the album launch, Mazwai invited Sowetan into her Johannesburg inner-city studio for a sit-down. Her tower is situated in the National Bank House Building, corner Albertina Sisulu Road (former Market Street) and Simmonds Street.
Inside, the wooden parquet flooring lead us down the corridor into sun-lit and airy spaces that boast gold-plated SA Music Award trophies, drumkits and a recording sound booth.
Wails from hailing taxis below and sounds of children killing time by the steps of the Johannesburg City Library flow into her sunlight-soaked corner office – with a striking portrait of the late Busi Mhlongo there to welcome us in.
What does one do in the presence of King Tha? Sing her song of course! Mazwai appears unshaken by the involuntary song proposal and gently describes my nasal rendition of Nizalwa Ngobani? as peaceful.
“Fans do it all the time and I think it’s a normal thing,” she says. “Whenever I see Angélique Kidjo it happens to me as well. I don’t plan it but when I see her, I start singing her song. I usually don’t sing along.”
