The album Maisha by The Zawose Queens conquered the number one spot of Transglobal World Music Chart for August 2024. The Zawose Queens’ debut album marks a significant evolution in the Tanzanian music scene. Leah and Pendo Zawose, multi-talented musicians and granddaughters of the renowned Dr. Hukwe Zawose, mix traditional Gogo rhythms with modern electronic elements, guided by UK producers Oli Barton-Wood and Tom Excell.
Recorded in Zanzibar and Bagamoyo, the album presents the rich heritage and innovative spirit of the Gogo people, featuring instruments like the chizeze fiddle, illimba thumb piano, and ngoma drums. Their music, rooted in ancestral vibrations and contemporary influences, captures themes of nature, ritual, and pride in their East African roots.
This project, catalyzed by a British Council-funded initiative and inspired by Tanzanian cultural figures like Aziza Ongala, sees The Zawose Queens emerging as pioneering female voices in their musical heritage. Maisha offers eleven original tracks that invite listeners into a vibrant world of polyrhythms and polyphonic singing, making a powerful statement for women artists in East Africa.
Read our review of the album: The Zawose Queens from Tanzania Release Extraordinary Debut Album Maisha.
August Chart
- The Zawose Queens – Maisha – Real World
- Bassekou Kouyate & Amy Sacko – Djudjon, l’Oiseau de Garana – One World
- Bab L’ Bluz – Swaken – Real World
- Dobet Gnahoré – Zouzou – Cumbancha
- Ali Doğan Gönültaş – Keyeyî – Mapamundi Música
- Vigüela – We – Mapamundi Música
- Landless – Lúireach – Glitterbeat
- Asmaa Hamzaoui & Bnat Timbouktou – L’Bnat – Ajabu!
- Huun-Huur-Tu, Carmen Rizzo & Dhani Harrison – Dreamers in the Field – Dark Horse / BMG
- Jyotsna Srikanth – Carnatic Nomad – Naxos World
- Varijashree Venugopal – Vari – GroundUP Music
- Tiganá Santana – Caçada Noturna – Ajabu!
- Russudan Meipariani featuring Ensemble Anchiskhati – Voices & Mountains – Timezone
- Meridian Brothers – Mi Latinoamérica Sufre – Les Disques Bongo Joe
- Bhutan Balladeers – Your Face Is Like the Moon, Your Eyes Are Stars – Glitterbeat
- Olcay Bayir – Tu Gulî – ARC Music
- Hamed Sadeghi – Empty Voices – Hamed Sadeghi
- Ahmed Moneka – Kanzafula: Afro-Iraqi Sufi Soul – LulaWorld
- Söndörgő – Gyezz – GroundUP Music
- Bedouin Burger – Ma Li Beit – PopArabia
- A Cantadeira – Tecelã – Repasseado
- Okwy Osadebe and Highlife SoundMakers International – Ifunanya – Palenque
- Maré – Maré – Sons Vadios
- Aziza Brahim – Mawja – Glitterbeat
- Aynur – Rabe – Dreyer Gaido
- Dobranotch – Vander Ikh Mir Lustik – CPL-Music / CPL-Musicgroup
- Sam Lee – Songdreaming – Cooking Vinyl
- Dario Muci – Talassa – Zero Nove Nove
- V.A. – Ghana Special 2: Electronic Highlife & Afro Sounds in the Diaspora 1980-1993 – Soundway
- Marta Topferova – Sombras – Moravia Publishing
- Quintet Bumbac – Héritages – Collectif Çok Malko
- Barcelona Gipsy balKan Orchestra – 7 – Satélite K
- Kristin Asbjørnsen – Hjemveier – Kirkelig Kulturverksted
- Nancy Vieira – Gente – Galileo Music Communication
- Céu – Novela – Urban Jungle / ONErpm
- La Falfula Groove Iraqi – Walla Ajabni Jamalak – La Falfula Groove Iraqi
- Arooj Aftab – Night Reigh – Verve
- Suzumeno Tears – Sparrow’s Arrows Fly So High – Doyasa!
- Gidiki – Perasma – Gidiki
- Marjan Vahdat – The Eagle of My Heart – Kirkelig Kulturverksted
More about the Transglobal World Music Chart: www.transglobalwmc.com
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central