Thulile Zama

Thulile Zama is an incredibly versatile musician. She holds a BA in Music and recently completed her Honours in Culture, Communication, and Media at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She is best known as the lead vocalist of Heels Over Head, an all-female contemporary jazz band that was nominated for the South African Music Awards in 2011 and won the Yamaha Young Artist award in 2010.

In addition to her work with Heels Over Head, Thulile has been paying tribute to Mama Africa and Sophiatown through her quartet since 2017. The show is a compilation of Sophiatown’s finest music, featuring songs made famous by Miriam Makeba. Curated by Thulile Zama, the Creative Director, the performance includes not only the distinctive sound we all know but also emotional songs that contribute to a vital representation of our rich musical heritage. "Tribute to Mama Africa" has been showcased at theatres and live music venues across KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa, including the State Theatre in Pretoria, the Hilton Arts Festival, POP Art in Johannesburg, the Rhumbelow Theatre in Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Kloof, and Alliance Française in Durban. In 2023, the band headlined the No Franco#5 festival in Maputo, Mozambique, and in January 2024, the show was well received in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Thulile is not only a vocalist but also a music promoter and concert organiser. She has worked with some of the best venues, such as the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music, Rhumbelow Theatre, Emakhosini Boutique Hotel, and Dukkah Boutique and Bar. With over two decades of experience, Thulile Zama is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with in the music scene.

Together with pianist David Smith, Thulile formed the musical duo N’den. They released their debut album, Sisingathiwe, in June 2023. In recent years, the duo has been composing original music and covering some of their favourite songs, which they share on their YouTube channel and social media pages.