Jerusalema ikhaya lami 

Miriam Makeba, on 15 March 1966, joined the music world’s luminaries by winning her first and only Grammy at the eighth annual instalment of the recording awards for An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba.

A two-time nominee on the night, Mama Africa had just turned 34 and her win was a victory for the continent, with her becoming not only the first South African woman but also the first African to receive this honour. Makeba was long overdue, having been nominated six other times, most notably for Best New Artist six years earlier. Her last nod, taking her total number of nominations to nine, was for her final studio album titled Homeland at the 43rd Grammy Awards in 2001. She died in 2008. 

On 28 October 1985, almost 20 years after Makeba’s Grammy win, Nomcebo Zikode was born in Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal, to a recently widowed mother. The youngest of four children, she told me in a tête-à-tête in August 2020 that her had father died when her mother had been expecting her. In the same exchange, around the release of her anthem Xola Moya Wam’, she said that music had always been her calling. Even when her peers and teachers mocked her when she told them of her dream to study music after high school, she remained unshaken.  

After matriculating in 2003, Zikode moved to the City of Gold in pursuit of her music ambitions. But her journey was a rocky one, with her failing to launch for 15 years and instead having to settle for being a backup singer to superstars Zahara, Nhlanhla Nciza, Deborah Fraser, and Lundi Tyamara. Then, on the eve of the Covid-19 pandemic, her prayers were finally answered when Master KG called her into the studio to record what would become global smash Jerusalema, which sparked a viral dance craze when the world most needed it. 

“Master KG played the beat three or four times and the first thing that came to mind was ‘Jerusalema, ikhaya lami’ [Jerusalem is my home],” Nomcebo said three years ago. “For me at the time, I felt like my purpose was not on this Earth and God needed to take me to Jerusalem, where I could find peace and happiness like others.”  

But the best was yet to come. In February, Zikode, alongside Zakes Bantwini and Wouter Kellerman, won a Grammy for sleeper hit Bayethe, becoming the first SA woman to win the prestigious award in the 57 years after Makeba’s triumph.   

A global dance challenge was not the only thing Jerusalema sparked — there was controversy too, with a feud over royalties between Zikode and record label Open Mic Productions. “It’s not easy for female musicians to be in the front, because there are always people trying to pull you down. It’s heartbreaking that it’s difficult for some to believe that I wrote Jerusalema because of the impact it had. As women we always need to be stronger. We are very powerful,” she tells me over a Zoom call, with her husband Selwyn Fraser often making an appearance in the back.  

In recent months, Zikode has spent most of her time touring the globe, putting on shows in Mozambique, France, Turkey, the Bahamas, the US, Togo, Cameroon, and Madagascar. In each region she’s usually given a hero’s welcome. She confesses that her success has surpassed all her expectations. After all, her dream was a simple one — to become a singer appearing on TV, to have her single played on radio, and to perform on stage. Admittedly, she wanted to win awards, but a Grammy was inconceivable.  

“It’s been a fulfilling experience, and these are moments I will cherish forever. It is possible, never give up — that is the biggest takeaway. It doesn’t matter where you come from, never look down on yourself. God has a purpose for each one of us,” she says. “All these countries treat me like a queen when I arrive. When I arrive in Miami there are bodyguards waiting when I get off the flight. When I arrive in some countries, I get emotional, because at times it feels like I’ve reached my retirement age. They will invite me, sit me down, and a group of kids will start dancing to Jerusalema, giving me a show.”  

While on the set of their cover shoot, Yvonne Chaka Chaka stands in a quiet corner and watches Zikode with affection as she poses solo for the camera. She says that she’s proud of Zikode, whom she had known even before the fame. Chaka Chaka then tells a funny story of how, when Zikode now travels around the continent, they refer to her as the daughter of the Princess of Africa.  

“She often calls me not knowing how to respond, but I always encourage her to play along,” Chaka Chaka says. I then ask her for the best advice she’s given Zikode: “Protect your intellectual property, make every lyric you write count. Oh, and get paid in dollars,” she chuckles, rubbing her fingers together.   

Zikode later echoes Chaka Chaka’s words of wisdom. “She’s an amazing woman. Everywhere I visit, I tell them she’s my aunt. She is loved so much in West Africa, as Princess of Africa. They also mention Brenda Fassie a lot. I’d like thank her for paving the way for women like me. We are where we are today because of people like her. She’s such a strong figure and I look up to her so much. To be featured next to an icon like her in this magazine is an honour. When I was a backup singer, I always hoped to work with her.”

Next on Zikode’s radar is new music. She’s just dropped Best We Can, featuring Beninese musician Angélique Kidjo and French maestro James BKS, who has produced for P Diddy, Ja Rule, and Snoop Dogg. They filmed the music video in France, the US, and Joburg.  

“I met him in Cameroon during Afcon [Africa Cup of Nations] and we discussed doing the song together. We kept in touch after. He later roped in Angélique Kidjo and she accepted,” Zikode says.  

Zikode also hopes to grow her record label, Emazulwini Productions, having already launched the career of gqom-tech and dance sensation Sykes with viral hit Sisekakeni Babies.  

“I don’t want it to end with me, I want to pay it forward. There is a lot of talent in South Africa. I want to see more musicians travelling the globe like me and win Grammys,” she says.  

While she’s grateful for her success, the mother of two adds that her busy schedule has put pressure on her family, making juggling motherhood and travelling difficult. She relies on the assistance of her helper and mother, who often travels from KZN to spend quality time with her children in Joburg.