Zonke

Zonke Dikana is a multi-award-winning South African singer-songwriter and record producer, recognized for her significant contributions to the Afro-soul and R&B music genres. After composing ‘Africa, My Motherland’ for the German band Jazzkantine, which later evolved into Culture Clan, Zonke’s career gained significant momentum. In 2003, Culture Clan released their album ‘Africa’ in Germany, earning awards from Channel O and the Metro FM Music Awards. During her time in Germany, Zonke launched her first solo album, ‘Soulitary,’ in 2004 via Upper Street Records, securing distribution in Germany, Japan, and Italy.

Her early career also included collaborations with notable artists such as Ringo, Joe Nina, and Deborah Fraser. In 2007, Zonke released her second album, ‘Life, Love ‘n Music,’ through Kalawa Jazmee Records. A pivotal moment came in June 2011 when she signed with TMP Records and began recording her third studio album, ‘Ina Ethe.’ This self-produced album, featuring lead singles ‘Jik’Izinto’ and ‘Feelings,’ achieved double platinum status commercially upon its release later that year. Building on this success, Zonke recorded the live album ‘Give and Take Live’ in October 2013 at the Lyric Theatre in Johannesburg.

Her seventh studio album, ‘L.O.V.E,’ released in June 2018, featured a collaboration with Kwesta on ‘Soul to Keep.’ The lead single ‘Tonight’ achieved platinum sales, and the album itself was certified gold, subsequently winning Best R&B/Soul Album at the 25th South African Music Awards. More recently, Zonke embarked on ‘Zonke: The Evergreen In Concert’ tour in 2020. She released the single ‘Lady’ in 2021 and announced her upcoming album ‘Enigma’ in 2022. That same year, her single ‘Oko’ debuted at number one in South Africa, demonstrating her continued chart success.

Her latest studio album, ‘Embo,’ was released in November 2023, showcasing her ongoing artistic evolution and impact on the music scene.