After strings of misfortune, songstress Zama Jobe is on the rise again. Zama is hitting the high note once again, with her deliciously unique and continuously evolving sound as one of the headliners for the highly anticipated Joy Of Jazz.
"I am finally becoming the artist I have always wanted to be. I am wiser, braver and more intentional with my artistry," she says. Zimoja caught up with the media shy  super star who reveals that she had a baby during Covid-19 and how has motherhood changed her as a person. The 35-year-old star says taking a break from music has ignited her love for music again.

SHE DOESN'T REGRET TAKING A BREAK

Dubbed as a South’s African Sade, Zama says taking a break from music scene is not something she regrets. In fact, it has shaped her as an artist and businesswoman
The platinum selling artist has always been an afro funk vocalist on her own path; a songwriter with a soulful, futuristic outlook but she says her upcoming album is going to be exciting and versatile.
“ People will still get the old Zama Jobe but with a new twist. I have added about four tracks of Amapiano,“ she says.

SO MUCH PLANNED FOR NEXT YEAR

Z2004 with a fresh afro jazz sound when she released Ndawo Yami (under Sony/BMG). She says she was planning to drop her new offering in March, but with so much on her plate her album might be later than that.
“ I have soo many projects planned for next year , it is going to be 20 years of Ndawo Yami. I am planning something big “
However Zama says she also wants to go back to the same style as her last album, Thula Mntwanami before her hiatus from music scene. Next year is going to be 10 years since I recorded my last album, was a nice album with brass, horns but I never gave it a chance, so I want to go revive that and people see it live  with a 20 piece band take people on what was going through my mind when I recorded that album, perhaps shoot a mini docu series. Since am back there is lot of things I want to explore because I been gone for a while, there is a lot of my past work that needs my attention.”

GRATEFUL

Zama says she also jumped into the world of amapiano. “I have also been messing with amapiano and dropped a single about three weeks ago called Baba Wethu but the EP will drop in January but she will also perform that at the Joy of Jazz with a ten pieces live band.
The single beautiful mother of two says during Covid she was stressed out and frustrated but she fell in love. I had a new born baby boy, I fell in-love even wrote a song called Living in the Bubble,” she beams.
Zama admits that  she was also scared as Covid targeted infants and elderly.
“ I really got scared and frustrated “
She says although life has been hard with its ups and downs, she remains grateful and pushes forward