Zuchu’s ‘Sukari’ sweetens up music scene

Zuchu and sukari are the two words that beautifully capture the latest sweet sensation on the Tanzanian music scene.

One is her stage name, of course, and other, the title of her hit song, which has catapulted her to dizzying heights, joining the coveted league of East Africa’s greatest musicians, including her own mother.

The two words are what distinguish the prowess and performance of the vivacious young woman, who has taken the world of music by storm, with her fame spreading across the East African region and beyond.

The singer, whose real name is Zuhura Othman Soud, is rumoured to be having a romantic liaison with her own boss, Bongo Flava great Diamond Platnumz.

She already counts among her hits, some songs she did with him titled Cheche and Litawachoma. The latter, which was uploaded on YouTube in September 2020, has already notched up 23 million views.

Collabos

Zuchu, a youthful superstar in her own right is following in Diamond’s footsteps doing collabos with several other musicians, including Joeboy, real name Joseph Akinwale Akinfenwa-Donus, a Nigerian singer and songwriter. The song is titled, Nobody.

Diamond, who likes to call himself Chibu Dangote, echoing his apparent admiration of Nigerian tycoon Aliko Dangote, and Africa’s richest man, has in recent years teamed up with several other great musicians such as Congolese superstar Koffi Olomide, with whom he did the song Waah.

He also recorded songs with two other Congolese musicians. With Fally Ipupa, he did the sensational song, Inama, and later teamed up with rising artiste Innoss B from eastern Congo, releasing a dance anthem, Yope.

With Nigeria’s Davido, Diamond unleashed the song, Number One. Zuchu was also featured on Diamond’s Mtasubiri song video, as usual showcasing her great vocals.

Any video Zuchu appears on enjoys immense viewership. The song had amassed nearly 5 million views by March 29, 2022.

She has also had successful performance tours of Kenya, South Africa and the United States, with the live recordings of her concerts attracting millions of viewers.

Zuchu, who was born in Dar es Salaam in 1993, is the daughter of famous Taarab singer Hadija Omar Kopa.

In a striking case of like mother like daughter, the younger woman has 50 big songs to her name, the best, of course, being Sukari. Her other hits, include Wana, Mwambieni, Raha, Nyumba Ndogo, Nisamehe and Yalaaa.

Also on the long and fast-growing list of her hits are the songs, I am Zuchu, Hakuna Kulala, Ashua and Kwaru.

Recently, the mother of the Sukari hitmaker revealed that her daughter had got hitched, though she did not name the lucky man.

Bride price

Hadija, who was born in Zanzibar in 1963, disclosed that she had received bride price from her daughter’s secret suitor. Her confirmation followed widely circulated rumours that Zuchu was dating her boss, Diamond.

The versatile star does Bongo Flava, afro-pop and rhythm and blues on Diamond’s record label, WCB Wasafi.

In March 2021, she became the first East African female artiste to clock one million subscribers on YouTube within 22 hours, with her sweet hit song, Sukari.

On June 17, last year, she was awarded the Golden Plaque by the YouTube community for surpassing the one million subscribers’ mark, becoming the first East African female artiste to do so.

The song has raked in 48 million views, becoming the most-watched video in sub-Saharan Africa in 2021. In October 2020, Zuchu, Diamond and Rayvanny, all Tanzanians, made it to 2020 Grammy Awards list.

The songstress started her career at a young age, and interestingly, collaborated with her own mother, Hadija Kopa, on the song, Mauzauza, featured on her debut Extended Play (EP), I am Zuchu.

The mother and daughter have shown there are still many more hit songs in them to wow fans.

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