Nduduzo Makhathini join Somi for the tribute. Other collaborators also include American jazz singer Gregory Porter, Nigerian afrobeat musician Seun Kuti and celebrated Beninese singer-songwriter and activist, Angelique Kidjo. After the release of
Zenzile, Somi will take the story of Makeba’s life to the theater stage with her original new musical
Dreaming Zenzile. Written by and starring Somi and directed by Obie Award winner Lileana Blain-Cruz, the production is set to premiere later in 2021.
Dreaming Zenzile features a cast of five including Somi as Makeba a live band, original music and reinterpretations of Makeba’s popular repertoire. For her first foray into theater, Somi was named a 2019 Sundance Theater Fellow.