Obabes beMbube

The five Zimbabwean female singers who make up the a capella group Nobuntu deliver an uplifting and playful listening experience with their third album, Obabes beMbube. After the success of their first albums and international tours to the US and Europe, their latest release connects them firmly to their home in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second largest city. This busy, 13-track album is filled with rich local folk stories. ‘Nobuntu (Click Song)’ centres around a frog protagonist, while ‘Silele (The Healer is Sleeping)’ is about traditional sangomas who are said to have the power to heal and bring about rain. Embodying ubuntu (togetherness), the singers of Nobuntu harmonise seamlessly as one.

The songs follow a call-and-response format, led by a soloist and complemented by a chorus of harmonising, rolls of the tongue, whistles, clicks and occasional clapping. Soft drumming can be heard on tracks like ‘Hossana (We Pray)’, but it's the voice that takes centre stage. As the only all-women group in Bulawayo to perform mbube, the musical genre of the Ndebele people of southern Africa, Nobuntu's sweet harmonies, communal spirit and electric solos are a true celebration of the female voice.