Zuhura Othman Soud better known by her stage name Zuchu, is a Tanzanian singer and songwriter born on November 22,1993 in Zanzibar. She is currently based in Dar es Salaam and is signed to WCB Wasafi record label.[2]

Zuchu
Birth nameZuhura Othman Soud [1]
Also known asZuchu
Born (1993-11-22) November 22, 1993 (age 30)
Zanzibar, Tanzania
GenresBongo flava, Baibuda
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, dancer
InstrumentVocals
Years active2020–present
LabelsWCB Wasafi

Awards

Zuchu was awarded the Silver Plaque Button by YouTube for hitting 100,000 subscribers within a week.[3] She became the first East African female artist to reach that milestone within a week. She also became the first East African female artist to reach 1 million subscribers on YouTube 11 months later.[4][5]

In 2020, Zuchu was named by AFRIMMA as the Emerging Artist Award winner.[6]

In 2023 Zuchu bagged 5 nominations at the Soundcity MVP Awards and also performed at the prestigious award show.[7]

In April 2023 Zuchu made history as she won 5 awards at the Tanzania Music Awards.[8][9]

In June 2023, Zuchu through her label (WCB) announced that the singer had surpassed 500 million views on Youtube making her the first female artist in East Africa and the fifth female artist in Africa to achieve this milestone.[10]

Personal life

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Zuchu comes from a musical Swahili Zanzibari family. She is the daughter of the Zanzibari Taarab musician Khadija Kopa.[11][12] Zuchu's Father, Othman Soud used to be a songwriter for Khadija Kopa and TOT Band when it was at its peak but later on switched to become a police officer.

Through her mother Khadija Kopa, Zuchu was able to meet Diamond Platnumz and get an audition. After meeting Diamond, Zuchu performed two songs as a tryout. Her emotional performance of the song Wana, later used as her debut song, impressed Diamond Platnumz, who accepted her to join the Wasafi Family in 2016.[13]

Zuchu in various occasions has confirmed dating the WCB Wasafi, Diamond Platnumz.[14] [15][16]

Career

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Zuchu started singing at a tender age and later collaborated with her mother Khadija Kopa on a song titled "Mauzauza" from her debut EP I am Zuchu. Among her first appearances as a musician to the public date back to 2015 in the first edition of TECNO OWN THE STAGE in Lagos, Nigeria[17] which she auditioned together with Tanzanian singer, Nandy.

In 2022, Zuchu became the most subscribed female artist on Sub Saharan Africa on Youtube[18] and few months later she became the first female artist in East Africa to clock 100 Million streams on Boomplay.[19]

In 2022, Zuchu became the first female artist in East Africa to earn a nomination at the MTV EMAs.[20]

Zuchu started 2023 with a new single titled Utaniua, Utaniua was critically acclaimed as Tanzania's music journalist, Charles Maganga appreciated Utaniua as an intimate song where Zuchu pays homage to Bongo Flava and Baibuda [21]

In March 2023, Zuchu released her first official music video for the year 2023 for a new single titled Napambana.[22]

In 2023, Zuchu's 2021 hit titled Sukari was positioned at number 8 by Notjustok on their list of the best Tanzanian songs of the decade ranging from 2012-2022[23]

Discography

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Albums

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Zuchu released her debut EP album I Am Zuchu in 2020, with a total of 7 songs.[24][25]

  • 2020: I Am Zuchu

Singles and collaborations

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Year Title Album
2021 "Yalah"

"Nyumba ndogo"
"Sukari"

2020 "Cheche" (feat. Diamond Platnumz)

"Litawachoma" (feat. Diamond Platnumz)

Side2side
2020 "Hakuna Kulala"

"Nisamehe"
"Kwaru"
"Wana"
"Raha"
"Ashua"(feat. Mbosso)
"Mauzauza"(feat. Khadija Kopa)

I Am Zuchu
2020
"Tanzania ya Sasa"

"Shangilia"
"Hasara"
"Nobody" (feat. Joe Boy)
"Number One" (Feat. Rayvanny)

References

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  1. ^ Soud, Zuhura Shunda. "Zuchu". wcbwasafi.com. Dar es Salaam: WCB Wasafi. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Zuchu is the new face on Diamond's record label WCB". The Citizen. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Zuchu set to rise under the auspices of Diamond Platnumz". Music in Africa. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  4. ^ Muli, Davis. "We have reached 1M subscribers on YouTube I can't thank you enough, Zuchu - Entertainment News". Standard Digital News. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  5. ^ "WCB's Zuchu makes history as she becomes first female artiste in East Africa to hit 1 Million subscribers". Pulse Live Kenya. 27 March 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Check out full list of winners at the 2020 AFRIMMA Awards". Pulse Live Kenya. 16 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Zuchu - Full Performance At Sound City Mvp Awards In Nigeria". Nyimbo Mpya. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  8. ^ "TMA decorates Kikwete as Zuchu grabs five awards - Daily News". 30 April 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  9. ^ "The Full List Of Winners For The 2023 Tanzania Music Awards | SEE LIST | Notjustok East Africa". Latest East African & Bongo Flava Music, Songs & Video - Notjustok. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  10. ^ "@officialzuchu surpassed 500M total views on youtube, She is the 1st Female Artist To Surpass This Milestone In East Africa & 5th in All Africa". Facebook. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Diamond's new signee Zuchu features her mum, legendary Khadija Kopa, in new song days after joining WCB". TUKO. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  12. ^ "Kati ya wasanii hawa mmoja atajiunga WCB". Mwananchi. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  13. ^ "Read 8 Facts You Should Know About Zuchu | Notjustok East Africa". Latest East African & Bongo Flava Music, Songs & Video - Notjustok. 1 August 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
  14. ^ "Diamond, Zuchu public kiss sparkle dating rumours". The Citizen. 2 September 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  15. ^ "Diamond and Zuchu rekindle relationship rumours after passionate kiss (video)". Mpasho. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  16. ^ "'I love you always' - Diamond, Zuchu publicly confirm they are dating : K24 TV". www.k24tv.co.ke. 24 November 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  17. ^ EP4 Zouchu Performance, retrieved 14 March 2021
  18. ^ admin (25 October 2022). "Zuchu the most Youtube subscribed female artist in Sub-Saharan Africa — citiMuzik". Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  19. ^ "Diamond, Zuchu, Harmonize and Nandy emerge top artists in Boomplay Recap 2022". The Citizen. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  20. ^ "Tanzanian singer Zuchu nominated for 2022 MTV Awards | The East African". www.theeastafrican.co.ke. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  21. ^ "Zuchu Drops A Brand New Song Titled "Utaniua" | Notjustok". Latest East African & Bongo Flava Music, Songs & Video - Notjustok. 10 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  22. ^ "Zuchu - Napambana (Official Music Video)". Nyimbo Mpya. 10 February 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  23. ^ "Tanzanian singer Zuchu nominated for 2022 MTV Awards | The East African". www.theeastafrican.co.ke. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  24. ^ "Zuchu: I Am Zuchu". deezer.com.
  25. ^ "Why WCB's new signee Zuchu is a force to reckon with as she unveils her EP 'I am Zuchu'". Pulselive. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
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