Zenzi Makeba Lee

Zenzi Makeba Lee was born in Manhattan, New York, to a South African mother and an American father. Born in two different cultures, music has become central to her being, transcending geographical confines.

Her first documented stage appearance was at the age of eight in Den Hague at the Northsea Jazz Festival. The same year, Zenzi had a role in Moroccan-born film director, Ben Barka’s award-winning anti-apartheid film “Amok”, shot on location in Morocco and Conakry, Guinea.

Zenzi was featured on a televised concert in Spain at thirteen.

She eventually graduated to backing vocalist for Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela and the late Dizzy Gillespie on the “Live the Future Tour”, which went throughout Europe and the United States of America. She was also featured as a solo vocalist on the “Live the Future Tour” to sing a traditional Congolese song entitled “Milele”.

Zenzi attended the renowned Manhattan School of Music in New York City, where she majored in voice and composition.

Zenzi performs an a cappella song entitled “MAMA” a traditional Jewish song originally entitled “Yiddisha Momme”, which she always dedicates to her late mother and to all the mother’s of the world.

French director, Veronique Patte, produced a documentary based on Zenzi entitled “MAMA". The documentary was nominated for “Best Documentary”.

Zenzi released her first single entitled “State of Attraction”, the preamble to her debut album entitled “Daynights”.

Zenzi was nominated in the category “Best Female Artist” at the SAMA (South African Music Awards) and she received a KORA Award (African Music Awards) for “Most Promising Female Artist”.

From a tender age, Zenzi, has always composed songs. She has also written and co-written songs for other artists, such as “Homeland”, which was co-written with Lokua Kanza for Miriam Makeba’s Grammy Award nominated album entitled “Homeland"

Zenzi will be releasing another album in 2025.