Izingane Zoma

South Africa’s Izingane Zoma emerged in the early '90s and—with their bright sound, female-fronted lineup and topical fearlessness—seemed to become maskandi superstars overnight. At a time when the Zulu folk genre was dominated by men, this 1993-formed trio flipped expectations, with singers Thandoluni Phungula, Tholakele Ngobese and Bongekile Ngobese (who has since passed) trading sharp harmonies and conversational call-and-response with their male backing vocalists and producers, Busani and Shobeni Khuzwayo. What’s more, they openly advocate for and sing about the many prejudices women experience, especially in their rural hometown of KwaZulu Natal. Over rhythmic acoustic guitar, buzzing concertina and steady percussion, Izingane Zoma continue to champion Zulu culture, rich spirituality and political progress (from their monumental Msholozi album in 2008 through 2016’s Obama)—a consistent commitment to quality and courage that helped set the course for the 21st-century evolution of maskandi.