ZAHARA MKUTUKANE – JHB
Zahara, whose real name is Bulelwa Mkutukana is a complete musician, apart from singing with an alto voice, she also plays the guitar.
Her debut album is a mixture of neo-soul, Afro-pop sounds with rock elements, traditional Xhosa rhythms with the mixture of chanting reggae and blues. Some people have already likened her to US singer Tracy Chapman because of her guitar-playing style. With the mid-tempo song Loliwe gaining massive airplay, Zahara will find her own identity which will make her a local and international phenomenon.
Zahara is indeed a name to remember. There’s something extra special in that smoky alto voice and how she plays her guitar. She’s also being touted as the next Mzansi’s Asa, India Arie and Erika Badu. This for a new artist is such as blessing indeed. But Zahara, whose means “budding flower” in Arabic, the career of the village girl is blooming.