nomthandazo

Zoë Modiga became a star in South Africa, her birthplace, after appearing on that country’s version of The Voice. She’s since released two wildly imaginative studio albums that variously channel her diverse range and commitment to exploring issues around race, identity and female empowerment; 2020’s INGANEKWANE got her the cover of Songlines. But where that album had a raw edge that suited her jazz performance-trained voice, nomthandazo feels polished to a sheen, its 18 (count ’em!) largely isiZulu-language tracks themed as a tribute to both of her grandmothers (one of whom, Nomthandazo, has a name translating to ‘Mother of Prayer’), as well as the significance of maternal figures: ‘Matriachy… allows us to catch glimpses of heaven, an expression of God themself,’ writes Modiga. There’s no question that Modiga can write songs with hooks and texture. Or that she can sing. Her voice is world class: the harmony-flecked ‘get lifted’, a celebration of spirituality, feels like mainstream gospel. ‘mzukulu’, a sparkling guitar-led ode to her ancestral lineage, finds her words perfectly placed. There are strings, horns and breakbeats, ballads and pop anthems. Love, gratitude and the Creator’s gifts are recurrent topics; this accomplished work holds no truck with cynicism. Even when it gets a little too sweet, Modiga keeps it real.