Thandiswa Mazwai’s Relentless Artivism

When Thandiswa Mazwai sings, her voice consumes the air with melodic, crystal-clear tones and power-backed lyrics. In 2024, Mazwai graced NPR’s intimate stage and dedicated her first song to the “beautiful and ever-resilient people of South Africa... back home.” Mazwai’s artistry has been a clarion call and source of comfort wrapped into one beautiful body. A body adorned with perfect spiraling braids, cowrie shells, and striking prints. Mazwai, 49, is a living, breathing protest and proof that the fight against apartheid lives on into the 21st century.