The Zawose Queens - Maisha (Official Video)

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Taken from the album 'Maisha', out 7 June 2024
Listen/pre-order the album: http://lnk.to/RW248

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