Hailed as a “multi-talented South African artist [who] became a star at home by setting her sights abroad.” by The Fader, Sho Madjozi is an upcoming South African rapper. Born Maya Christinah Xichavo Wegerif on 9 May, 1992 in Limpopo, South Africa to a South African mother and Swedish father, she is no stranger to mixed cultural identities. Growing up she lived in many different places which allowed her to experience the diaspora. In fact, after graduating high school in Tanzania, she received an African Studies and Creative Writing degree from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. However, aligning with her passion for poetry, she became a musician and began writing songs for others when she returned to South Africa.
It was not until 2017, when she released Dumi Hi Phone featuring duo PS DJz that she began gaining attention of her own musically. Since then she has continued to amass accolades, support and awards. One of her first hit songs, Huku, has gained over 5 million views on YouTube and Sho appeared alongside Coldplay’s lead singer in a video for the Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, where she also performed. Not to mention, Sho received a BET Award for Best New International Act at the BET Awards in 2019. In this capacity, she is representing the duality of the diaspora as she performs in international spaces proudly celebrating and sharing South African culture.
Operating on an international world stage, Sho Madjozi continuously places her South African heritage at the forefront of her work. During the early stages of her career, many Xitsonga people were hiding their identity because of the derogatory attitude they faced and stigma placed on them. However, Sho Madjozi’s decision to proudly identify as Tsonga and even rap in Xitsonga has started to bring a lot of transformation to people’s perception of Xitsonga/Tsonga people. In this way, she is unapologetically being herself and being loyal to her South African roots.
Check Out Her Music Here: