The Zawose Queens

Pendo and Leah Zawose showcase the fluid polyrhythms and polyphonic singing of the Wagogo people from the Dodoma region in central Tanzania. Descendants of a prominent musical family in Tanzania (the late Dr. Hukwe Zawose is Pendo’s father and Leah’s grandfather), this project marks the first time women from this family take their place as lead vocalists and principal performers. They will perform on July 16, 2026, at 6:00 PM at Sala Villanos, Madrid.

Every note played by The Zawose Queens transmits the vibrations of their ancestors through traditional instruments such as the chizeze violin, the illimba thumb piano, and the ngoma drums, alongside their voices, in connection with nature, ceremony and ritual. The result is a dance-inspired fusion that blends the organic, the harmonic and modern electronics. Their lyrics, in their native Kigogo, speak of a passion for music, the wonders of life, and pride in the environment, in tradition and in their roots in East Africa.