Phendula

Phendula (Xhosa: "Answer") is the second studio album by South African singer Zahara. It was released by TS Records on September 13, 2013. The album's production was primarily handled by Robbie Malinga and Mojalefa Thebe. Phendula features guest appearances from Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Anele & Neliswa, Mzwakhe Mbuli, Mukengerwa Tresor Riziki and 2 Face Idibia. It was supported by the singles "Phendula", "Impilo" and "Stay". Upon its release, the album was made available for purchase on iTunes and Musica.

Background
In an interview with The Herald's Yoliswa Sobuwa, Zahara said she was excited about the album and expects her fans to love it because of her vocal growth and songwriting skills. She also said the lead single and title track, "Phendula", is about seeking answers from God for the eradication of human suffering.

The album was recorded at KZN Studios in Greyville and mastered at TS Records studios in Joburg. Zahara told You magazine that she planned on shooting a live DVD for Phendula and will invite guest acts who appeared on the project to perform with her. TruFm reported that Phendula went platinum after being on the market for seven days. Moreover, it went double platinum and sold over 100,000 copies after two weeks.

Singles
The title track, "Phendula", was released on September 6, 2013, as the album's lead single. Its music video was uploaded to YouTube on September 27, 2013.

"Impilo" was released on November 1, 2013, as the album's second single. The accompanying music video for the song features cameo appearances from TS Records dignitaries, and was uploaded to YouTube at a total length of 3 minutes and 48 seconds.

The album's third single, "Stay", features vocals from Nigerian singer 2 Face Idibia. In an interview with Sunday Sun newspaper, Zahara described the song as a melodic song about love. Zahara and 2face recorded the song after being in the studio for 5 hours.

The Phendula tour
To celebrate the album's release, Zahara and her management team put together the Phendula Tour, which was sponsored by Nedbank and supported by Drum Magazine, Cape Argus, Vukani and Metro FM.

Critical reception
Phendula received positive reviews from music critics. A writer for Swagger Magazine gave the album a 91.8 rating out of 100, praising Zahara's musicianship and voice and commending the songs for being "deeper and more thoughtful than typical pop".

Accolades
Phendula was nominated for Best African Pop Album at the 2014 Metro FM Music Awards. It won Best Selling Album and Best RnB, Soul and Reggae at the 20th Annual SAMAs.

Personnel

 * Bulelwa Mkutukana – primary artist, writer
 * Ladysmith Black Mambazo – featured artists, writers
 * Anele & Neliswa – featured artist
 * Mzwakhe Mbuli – featured artist
 * Mukengerwa Tresor Riziki – featured artist
 * Robbie Malinga – producer
 * Mojalefa Thebe – producer