Apple Music’s New Artist Spotlight for December is Zimbabwean-born singer/songwriter Sha Sha with her debut release Blossom. Currently number 1 on the Apple Music Album charts, the melodic EP has a little something for everyone with its deft fusion of Afrobeats, Pop, Soul and Amapiano.
“This EP showcases the versatility of my voice and touches on different themes,” the 25-year-old singer reveals.
On Blossom Sha Sha provides a summer soundtrack which celebrates life’s festivities and explores ideas of love and women’s empowerment. Assisted by production duo Kabza De Small & DJ Maphorisa as well as Samthing Soweto – who previously featured the artist on his number one smash hit Akulaleki – Sha Sha displays her song writing abilities as well as her alluring vocals. As the voice behind some of the year’s other standout hits – including Mlindo the Vocalist’s Ngi Thanda Wena, Scorpion Kings’ We’Mama and MFR Souls’ Love You Tonight, Sha Sha has established herself as the go-to house music vocalist.
She gained in-studio experience from previously working with the likes of Don Laka, Rouge and Priddy Ugly. While effortlessly folding her diverse influences together, Blossom also shows the rapid growth of a singer who only begun her career in 2015 as part of a group called Blindfaith – something that might have never happened.
“I wanted to be a nurse, actually. I used to sing in the choir at school but I never thought that it would be my career,” the singer shares.
Much like paying homage to her hometown and the organic celebration of her Shona heritage on the rhythmic Mutare, Sha Sha revisits her childhood by re-imagining house classics by Lorayne and Moloko.
“Something About You and Sing It Back are covers of songs I liked growing up. I added an Amapiano flavour just for the season and I love how they came out,” she says.
These reworks sum up Sha Sha’s sonic appeal perfectly – her ability to apply the absorptive qualities of vocal house to the trending sounds of today. By plotting a future for lyric based, vocally-driven Amapiano the Blaqboy Music signee rounds off a great year for Apple Music’s New Artist Spotlight recipients.
