The Zawose Queens - Maisha (Official Video)

Follow: Taken from the album ’Maisha’, out 7 June 2024 Listen/pre-order the album: The Zawose Queens are Leah and Pendo Zawose of the Tanzanian Wagogo people, whose joyous otherworldly vocals and polyphonic rhythms on drums, thumb pianos and chizeze fiddle mirror the sounds of nature. The grand-daughter and daughter of the late, great Hukwe Zawose, like all the women in the Zawose family, they were once forbidden from the spotlight. Aided by producers Oli Barton-Wood and Tom Excell, their stunning debut ’Maisha’ comprises eleven original songs that deftly blend the acoustic, electronic, traditional and modern. ’Maisha’ is a song whose lyrics tell of the daily fight for a better life, whose potent ancient-to-future sound finds the Queens on vocals, illimba and percussion, Wamwiduka Band on backing vocals and percussion and club-focused production including drums, synths and 808 bass. *VIDEO CREDITS* Cinematography: Denis Kayange & Michael Mbwambo Location scouting, co-ordination & styling: Perpetua Waziri & Aziza Ongala Editing & colour grading: Odhrán Mullan *TRACK CREDITS* Vocals, Illimba - Pendo Zawose & Leah Zawose Backing Vocals - Wamwiduka Band Programming, Drums, 808 Bass, Babatone, Gtr, Synths - Tom Excell Programming - Oli Barton-Wood Manyanga Shaker - Peter Mashaka Percussion - Pendo Zawose Produced, recorded and mixed by Oli Barton-Wood & Tom Excell Written by Zawose Queens, Tom Excell & Oli Barton-Wood Published by Real World Works Ltd./Domino Publishing/Faber Alt Music Publishing *LYRICS* _English translation from original Kiswahili and Kigogo languages_ Maisha (Life) Eee father, eeh Mother Eee father, eeh Mother I have sorrow, gwee I am struggling I am struggling I am struggling I am struggling Hustling is hard Work is hard Life is also hard I am struggling I am struggling I am struggling I am struggling We are looking for a better life We are looking for money Every day we struggle Ahee hehee This hunger This hunger Ayaa hehee Ayaa hehee