MaWhoo had already touched maskandi before, including through her work on Mthandeni SK’s “Gucci,” but committing to an entire collaborative project rooted in the sound was another proposition altogether.
Isithembu places two successful contemporary female artists inside maskandi without treating the genre as a temporary aesthetic exercise. Its early response also shows how collaboration, rather than manufactured rivalry, can create new routes between established South African audiences.
She has admitted that making Isithembu frightened her.
She was scared to make maskandi. She made it anyway. The recordings disappeared. They made them again.
The album brings MaWhoo together with Lwah Ndlunkulu under the name Zulu Queens. At the project’s announcement, MaWhoo spoke openly about entering musical territory that felt unfamiliar to her. The recording process then became even more demanding: the pair revealed that the first batch of songs they recorded was lost, forcing them to start again and rebuild the project.
Isithembu finally arrived on 28 August 2026. Its lead single, “Distance,” featuring Feza, had been released nine days earlier on 19 August.
The early response is now measurable.
As of 29 August, the latest available Shazam South Africa chart places “Distance” at No. 1. On Apple Music South Africa’s overall songs chart, it sits at No. 10, while Isithembu is No. 8 on the platform’s albums chart.
Those rankings do not tell us everything. They cannot prove why listeners connected with the song, and one day of album-chart performance cannot tell us how long Isithembu will endure.
What they do establish is that the experiment has not entered the market quietly.
There is something particularly interesting about MaWhoo and Lwah Ndlunkulu choosing collaboration rather than treating proximity between successful women as competition. There is also something significant about artists with established contemporary audiences moving towards maskandi without presenting the genre as an aesthetic costume.
The risk was real enough for MaWhoo to admit that she was scared.
Twenty-four hours after the album arrived, Zulu Queens already had South Africa’s most-Shazamed song.
Sometimes the unfamiliar lane is exactly where the audience is waiting.
Reporting basis: Based on the official Isithembu release on Apple Music, public comments by MaWhoo and Lwah Ndlunkulu during the album announcement, contemporary reporting on the Zulu Queens recording process and current South African Shazam and Apple Music chart data. Viranova independently distinguishes between what the charts demonstrate and broader claims about longevity or audience motivation.
Story index Key points, people & topics
Key points & topics
- MaWhoo entered Isithembu unsure whether she belonged in maskandi. After lost recordings forced her and Lwah Ndlunkulu to rebuild the project, their Zulu Queens experiment has opened with “Distance” at No. 1 on South Africa’s...
- MaWhoo admitted she was scared to commit to maskandi. Then she and Lwah Ndlunkulu lost their original recordings and rebuilt Isithembu from scratch. Now, one day after the album’s release, Zulu Queens have South Africa’s No. 1...
- MaWhoo was scared to make maskandi. Now Zulu Queens’ “Distance” is No. 1 on Shazam South Africa as Isithembu enters Apple Music’s Top 10 albums.
Frequently asked Answers from the desk
Who are Zulu Queens?
Zulu Queens is the collaborative musical identity of South African singers MaWhoo and Lwah Ndlunkulu.
What is the Zulu Queens album called?
Their collaborative album is titled Isithembu.
When was Isithembu released?
Isithembu was released on 28 August 2026.
How many songs are on Isithembu?
The final Apple Music release contains 15 tracks.
What genre is Isithembu?
The project is rooted in maskandi while incorporating Afropop and contemporary South African influences.
What is the lead single from Isithembu?
The lead single is Distance featuring Feza.
When was Distance released?
Distance was released on 19 August 2026. Is Distance No.
1 on Shazam South Africa?
Yes. The latest available South African Shazam chart capture places Distance at No. 1.
Where is Distance on Apple Music South Africa?
The latest available chart capture places Distance at No. 21 on Apple Music South Africa’s overall songs chart.
Where is Isithembu on Apple Music South Africa?
The latest available chart capture places Isithembu at No. 9 on the overall albums chart.
Credibility & transparency How this story is reported
- Content type
- News
- Verification
- Verified — multiple sources
- Reporting basis
- Based on the official Isithembu release on Apple Music, public comments by MaWhoo and Lwah Ndlunkulu during the album announcement, contemporary reporting on the Zulu Queens recording process and current South African Shazam and Apple Music chart data. Viranova independently distinguishes between what the charts demonstrate and broader claims about longevity or audience motivation.
- Sources & context
- Zulu Queens is the collaborative identity of MaWhoo and Lwah Ndlunkulu. Their final 15-track album Isithembu was released on 28 August 2026 by MaWhoo Entertainment and Inkabi Records, exclusively distributed through Sony Music Entertainment Africa. Its lead single “Distance” featuring Feza arrived on 19 August. The original batch of recordings was lost and recreated, while MaWhoo publicly acknowledged being nervous about committing to maskandi despite previously appearing with Mthandeni SK on “Gucci”. As of the latest chart captures available during preparation on 29 August, “Distance” is No. 1 on the South African Shazam chart, No. 21 on Apple Music South Africa’s overall songs chart, while Isithembu is No. 9 on Apple Music South Africa’s albums chart. These positions are live snapshots and may change rapidly.
- Image
- Zulu Queens
Edited under our Editorial Standards and How We Report process. Spotted an error? Open the correction form below, or email corrections@viranova.co.za.
Request a correction Accuracy desk
Submit a Correction
Corrections are reviewed by editors and logged with the story record.
Human-written · Editor-reviewed · Corrections open
Filed by Viranova Music Desk for the Music desk · South Africa. Published 29 Aug 2026.
Sources
Secondary material
Reported first by another publication or organisation, and credited here.
- Isithembu was released on 28 August 2026 as a 15-track, 1-hour-and-1-minute album by Zulu Queens, Lwah Ndlunkulu and MaWhoo Apple Music accessed 29 August 2026
- The final Isithembu release is issued by MaWhoo Entertainment and Inkabi Records and exclusively distributed by Sony Music Entertainment Africa Apple Music accessed 29 August 2026
- Apple Music describes Isithembu as combining organic maskandi instrumentation with Afropop melodies and lists contributors including Mthandeni SK, Siya Ntuli, Feza and Izingane Zoma Apple Music accessed 29 August 2026
- MaWhoo said she was scared to make maskandi because the genre was new territory for her News24 / TRUELOVE accessed 29 August 2026
- The original group of songs recorded for Isithembu was lost, forcing MaWhoo and Lwah Ndlunkulu to return to the studio and recreate the project News24 / TRUELOVE accessed 29 August 2026
- MaWhoo had previously worked directly with maskandi through Mthandeni SK’s Gucci, released in September 2024 Apple Music accessed 29 August 2026
- Distance featuring Feza was released on 19 August 2026 and runs for 4 minutes and 21 seconds Spotify accessed 29 August 2026
- Distance is currently ranked No. 1 on the latest available Shazam South Africa chart capture Kworb / Shazam South Africa chart data accessed 29 August 2026
- Distance is ranked No. 21 on the latest available Apple Music South Africa overall songs chart capture Kworb / Apple Music South Africa chart data accessed 29 August 2026
- Isithembu is ranked No. 9 on the latest available Apple Music South Africa overall albums chart capture Kworb / Apple Music South Africa chart data accessed 29 August 2026
- Contemporary reporting credits Mthandeni SK with giving MaWhoo and Lwah Ndlunkulu the Zulu Queens name and describes the album title as being reframed around sisterhood and musical unity SlikourOnLife accessed 29 August 2026
Leave with the sharp version of what moved.
Two considered South African culture reads a week. No feed to chase, no noise between them.
Join the conversation React or leave a thoughtful comment
Respond to this story. Share a comment, a correction, or a right-of-reply — comments open once the room starts talking.