“I persisted in the silence without applause,” Cici calmly offers just seconds into “Intro,” the opening track of Busisiwe 2.0. It might seem curious that one of South Africa’s most highly regarded vocalists would go on record expressing thoughts this dour, but Cici has always been more in tune with her feelings than most. Since 2017’s buttery Busisiwe, the singer’s been synthesizing her thoughts on love, wistfulness, and elation into layered yet candid post-R&B ditties that take influences from gospel, Afrobeats, and soul, all without sacrificing any emotional heft. On her first album since 2021’s Sukulila, Cici is similarly forthright, eschewing simplistic platitudes for a collection of music that touches on the lasting sting of betrayal, the redemptive powers of love, and the emotional regulation of spirituality. Still, she’s keen to emphasize she’s feeling better than she has in years thanks to the grounding of family and a newfound zest for life (“Amen,” “Ngizo Faka”). Songs like the piano-led “Buya” showcase her dreamy vocals, with Cici using a minimalist backdrop to ponder the futility of a lifetime without her lover. A similar impression informs the Praiz-assisted “Love Me Loud,” an amapiano-inflected number as heartwarming as it is indicative of her headspace. Building on the overt dance influences that defined Sukulila, Cici relishes collaboration with a cross-continental cast that includes BoyPee, Hyce, and Mimi Mars, all of whom faithfully serve her vision of redemption.