Zandie Khumalo has entered the ring. The younger sister of Afropop super vocalist Kelly Khumalo stakes her claim with the release of her debut album Izikhali ZamaNtungwa.

She's had a spectacular debut topping the iTunes charts with the album.

"I'm excited. I've seen my album sit on number one on iTunes since its release. I'm happy that people recognise me and my talent and they fall in love with my music," says Zandie.

It's a culmination of years of coaxing and nudging from Kelly and Zandie's husband Mhlo Gumede who pushed her to the studio and yielded some surprise Afrosoul tunes such as Themba, Soze and Bittersweet.

Off her new album comes the single Nangu Makoti, a pleasant wedding song that lends itself to becoming a
sing-along.

The video for the song is a beautiful celebration of South African heritage and traditional wear that sees the Ndebele aesthetic featuring prominently.

Love is the central theme on the album as she sings on Nami Ngiyalifuna about longing for love.

She uses today's social media lexicon which makes the songs relatable and enjoyable.

She took her time in the studio trying out different influences such as on Fiesta, a Portuguese track which adds an exotic appeal to the album, and perhaps a crossover to foreign markets.

The days of Zandie the stylist, backing vocalist and artist manager are behind her.

She had a successful launch of the album this week and performed among the stars at the Evening of Love concert in Pretoria on Valentine's Day.

She says of the performance: "It was really nice, I enjoyed myself and I gave my best. The feedback was amazing as people responded well."