Powerful female vocals and polyrhythmic magic take centre stage when The Zawose Queens take to the stage with their personal reinterpretation of the traditional music of the Wagogo people.
The duo's name is no coincidence, as the two singers, Pendo and Leah Zawose, want to highlight the feminine energy in a musical tradition where women have typically been reduced to backing singers while the men took centre stage. They have the music in their blood, as Pendo's father and Leah's grandfather, Hukwe Zawose, was a prominent figure who toured extensively with Wagogo music. For connoisseurs, the Zawose name is therefore synonymous with Wagogo, but the women are done with standing in the background.
Pendo and Leah Zawose released their debut album, Maisha, in 2024. Produced by Tom Excell (Nubiyan Twist, Onipa) and Oli Barton-Wood (Ezra Collective, Obongjayar), the album immediately attracted attention and led to acclaimed performances at major international festivals such as Glastonbury and Le Guess Who.
One cannot help but be captivated when these two women take the stage with their polyphonic vocal harmonies, spiritual presence and captivating polyrhythms, backed by a terrific band and traditional instruments such as the illimba finger piano and ngoma drums. They truly deserve to be hailed as musical queens, and you get the chance at Roskilde Festival, where you will undoubtedly have the opportunity to hear songs from their upcoming album, which will be released in 2026.
