Mahotella Queens – Buya Buya: Come Back (Umsakazo Records, 2025)
After nearly two decades without original material, South Africa’s iconic mbaqanga group the Mahotella Queens return with Buya Buya: Come Back. The release marks their first album of new songs since 2007.
Formed in 1964 under producer Rupert Bopape at Gallo Africa, the Mahotella Queens quickly became synonymous with the mbaqanga sound. Paired with the Makgona Tsohle Band and the distinctive bass vocals of Simon “Mahlathini” Nkabinde, the group helped define South African popular music in the 1960s and ‘70s. Songs like “Izulu Liyaduduma” and “Pitsa Tse Kgolo” became national hits, while their live performances showcased a powerful mix of traditional and contemporary dance styles.
Although the original lineup disbanded in the mid-1970s, a resurgence followed the global success of Paul Simon’s Graceland in the late 1980s. Reunited with Mahlathini and the Makgona Tsohle Band, the Queens gained international acclaim, performing at Mandela’s 70th Birthday Concert at Wembley, WOMAD festivals, and Central Park. After the deaths of Mahlathini, West Nkosi, and Marks Mankwane in the late 1990s, lead vocalist Hilda Tloubatla carried the legacy forward.
Now 83, Tloubatla remains at the helm as the group’s last original member. She is joined by Amanda Nkosi and Nonku Maseko, two younger, new singers trained in the Mahotella tradition. This refreshed lineup brings a renewed energy to the stage and studio alike.
Buya Buya: Come Back features 12 new tracks rooted in the group’s joyful, signature township jive sound, signaling a stylistic return after years of high-profile collaborations with artists such as Damon Albarn, Cassper Nyovest, and John Legend. “These songs are in the Mahotella Queens’ original style,” says Tloubatla. “It has been worth the wait.”
A Japanese tour from August 5–16 will accompany the release, marking the Queens’ first international appearance since 2019 and their first return to Japan in 20 years.
Mahotela Queens: Hilda Tloubatla, Amanda Nkosi and Nonku Maseko on vocals.
Band: Kagiso ‘Boikie’ Monampana (lead guitar); Celumusa Zuma (bass); Jackie Mokoatlo (keyboards); and Bethuel Mbonani (drums).
Author: Tyler Bennet
