Nozuko Mapoma is the husky voiced lead singer with enchanted vocals. Her band Zuko Collective has performed at Swaziland’s Bushfire Festival, SkyRoom Live, TedxJohanessburg and more. Here, she shares with us her five favourite albums of all time.

Common Bond – Rhythm of Life

“It’s hard to describe my feeling about this album, but I can hear the energy invested when they recorded it. I love the way they embrace and enhance the meaning of life. Common Bond captures the lessons of respect by blending music, percussion, poetry and storytelling into a highly interactive performance, which was one of our influences in music.”

Busi Mhlongo – Urban Zulu

“As one of my greatest influences, I thoroughly enjoy everything about her. It’s easy to relate to a musician whom, like myself, didn’t sing in a conventional voice or present herself in a commercial manner, but still managed to become an international icon. The great thing about this album is that it’s recognisably South African with complex rhythms and sophisticated melody lines. I also love the edgy percussion, deep rumble basslines, and Busi Mhlongo’s high-energy vocal delivery.”

The Brother Moves On – The Golden Wake

“TBMO are my brother-band. It’s always such an overwhelming feeling to be able to receive such a spiritual offering and to personally know the vessels behind it. Their music is great. They have settled into something resembling and that’s what I like.”

Dolly Parton – Blue Smoke

“This album is very authentic and Dolly’s songs are lyrical, that’s what I like most about her music. The album is a mixture of the type of material she’s been doing over the past two decades. She has an amazing voice. Even at 68, she’s among the few musicians who are living legends in this music industry.”

Zuko Collective – Relationtrips

Nozuko also adds Zuko Collective’s Relationtrips album to her list.  “This is our debut album. I’m a groupie and I’m always attempting to improve my own craft, so it’s important to assess what I’ve worked on,” she says.

Follow Zuko Collective on Twitter, Facebook and SoundCloud

Holding image: supplied

Look out for four more artists sharing their favorite albums of all time, in this series. Next up is Moozle, The Skhanda Queen.

Share your favourite albums of all time with us in the comments section or on Facebook and Twitter.