The Zawose Queens

They showcase the fluid polyrhythms and polyphonic singing of the Gogo (aka Wagogo) people of the Dodoma region of central Tanzania. The most famous exponent of this tradition is the late, great Dr. Hukwe Zawose - Pendo’s father and Leah’s grandfather. When The Zawose Queens released their debut album Maisha in 2024, it marked the first time that women from this famous musical family took the place as lead vocalists and performers. 

Emboldened by workshops in songwriting and music production with visiting UK-based producers Oli Barton-Wood (Jordan Rakei, Obongjayar, Nilufer Yanya) and Tom Excell (Nubiyan Twist, Onipa), The Zawose Queens began writing their first ever songs. The resulting repertoire ranged from the stripped back and traditional-sounding to those treated with subtle electronic elements, with beats and drops and found sounds and switch-ups. The Zawose Queens perform their songs on traditional instruments, such as soaring chizeze fiddle, buzzing illimba thumb piano, ngoma drums that chatter and thunder — with voices that go deep, high and out there. There's a connection to nature, ceremony and ritual, in their dance-inspired fusion which blends modern-day electronic sounds with acoustic instruments. They sing in their native language kigogo, of the passion for music, the wonders of life, pride in environment and their East African roots.