Fresh: Azana is due to put out another album in October.
Azana, real name Makhosazana Masango, is exactly what the South African music industry needs. She has a wide, rich voice, like nothing we’ve heard before, and her lyrical content has a universal flavour that will give it longevity.
The five-time South African Music Awards-nominated singer is due to release a new body of work in October titled Igagu, a Zulu word that refers to a group of people singing or dancing, where there is often an individual who stands out. This individual exudes confidence, passion and leads the crowd.
“Because of the love I have for music and the arts, I have always stood out in a group of singers and creatives. I participated in music my whole school career, and as I grew older, I gained the confidence to direct musically and lead in the choirs I was in and became igagu!” Azana says.
Igagu comes after her 2020 project Ingoma, which featured the hit single Your Love. The song quickly became the TikTok sound for those celebrating their love and even those who were manifesting the love Azana talks about in the song.
Azana tells the Mail & Guardian Igagu is a continuation of her first album because the stories connect.
“For example, in the first album, I was talking about how I wanted to be in Johannesburg to find my space in the music industry and, in the second album, there is a song called Egoli, where I speak about being here and the challenges I am facing.”
The songstress says the album will make listeners dance, fall in love — and possibly cry.
“I have worked with different people for this album to support the different elements of my experiences.
“I will definitely be giving people something fresh but they will easily tell that it is from Azana,” she says.
Zalabantu and Shona Malanga (featuring Amahle Gasa), the two singles off of Igagu which have been released, are definitely the fresh sound Azana is talking about. You can almost hear her smile on them.
The visuals for Shona Malanga validate the sheer feeling of joy we feel when we listen to an Azana song. It’s colourful and fun — you want to watch it over and over again.
“We don’t have to go to a fancy mansion to make a music video feel and look well made. My team and I make sure that we make people happy by just looking at the video and hearing the music instead of looking at material stuff,” she says.
Azana says a common thread in the music is to evoke emotion without being unrelatable.
The two singles from Igagu are a foretaste of the kind of music we can expect from Azana this summer. It is the kind that reminds us to live colourful and free lives and, most of all, to celebrate love, whatever that looks like to each of us.
“I hope people who listened to the first one and appreciated it are still around to hear the second one.
“I hope it touches them where it is supposed to.
“I hope people can use whatever I have gone through and expressed in my music to heal,” she says.