Friday Wind Down with SIMPHIWE DANA

Our next guest hails from Butterworth and Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape. Her breakthrough came when she released the iconic debut album, Zandisile at the age of 22. Her sound is described as a soulful fusion of jazz, Afro-soul, and traditional Xhosa music. In her illustrious career, she has worked alongside local as well as continental giants. She has collaborated with Salif Ketia, Adam Glaser, Vieux Farka Touré, Buika, Msaki, Kunle Ayo, Derek Gripper, Steve Dyer, Herbie Tsoaeli, Themba Mokoena, Themba Mkhize, Caiphus Semenya, Fana Zulu, Tlale Makhene, Bheki Khoza, and Mark Fransman. This morning, she joins us in the studio to share her new album: Moya. This new body of work was released last week and explores themes of grief, healing, and spiritual renewal. She released the album in January to pay tribute to her late mother and coincides with her birth month. MOYA frames release as a ritual. Led by the single “Mayenzeke,” the project positions vulnerability as a path to balance and peace. To tell us more about this journey, we are joined by.... Guest: Simphiwe Dana - South African singer, songwriter, and activist