Ntsiki Mazwai’s MaMiya

Ntsiki Mazwai’s debut MaMiya is a much anticipated release that has been preceded by the hype surrounding her single, Uwrongo; the highly acclaimed spoken word track was featured on DJ Fresh’s Definition of House Vol. II.
Mazwai’s debut is riding high on the heart-skipping success of Uwrongo and will do much to strengthen her profile as a poet and musician. Her brand of floetry is exotic and not entirely unappealing, with its mellowed vibe and subtle expression.
Strong drum beats and jazzy rhythms accompany Mazwai’s natural and almost raw talent, giving the project an earthy, African feel to it. Delivered in the typically understated and somewhat expressionless manner associated with this particular genre, the overall lyrical content seems to possess a ‘deeper meaning’ than what it actually does, coming across as sombre and overly mature yet surprisingly unpretentious.
For with 16 tracks to take your pick from, one would think socially conscious topics have free reign alongside equally playful elements but not so on MaMiya. Once again, love provides the basis for much of the material on this album and to be honest, there is only so much emotion one can handle.
Why so dark and heavy, the girl? With a sun kissed voice like yours, you ought to be playing in the light a bit more. Fault does not lie with this artist’s enigmatic appeal or her incredible talent but with a debut that takes itself far too seriously.
Capable of delivering so much more than words that merely rhyme, Ntsiki Mazwai has the potential to work the South African floetry genre to a heady state of popularity. It is only but a matter of time.