150 Records by Amazing African Women You Should Listen To

In honor of Women's History Month, check out our list of 150 records made by African women you need to listen to.

Tems performing
Tems performs in London at Lafayette on November 18, 2021 in London, England.
Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage/Getty

The OkayAfrica team took a stab at listing 150 records made by amazing African women for you to discover and rediscover.

We hope you enjoy listening through as much as we enjoyed putting together this list of African women who've shaped African music from the continent and around the world.

Alsarah & The Nubatones (Sudan)  "Habibi Taal" 

www.youtube.com

Alsarah & The Nubatones - Habibi Taal [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

Angelique Kidjo (Benin) "Logozo"

www.youtube.com

Angelique Kidjo - 'Logozo'

Tems (Nigeria) "Free Mind"

www.youtube.com

Tems - Free Mind (Music Video)

Asa (Nigeria) "Fire on the Mountain"

www.youtube.com

Asa - Fire on the Mountain

Brenda Fassie (South Africa) "Vuli Adela"

www.youtube.com

VULINDLELA-BRENDA FASSIE

Barbara Kanam (Democratic Republic of the Congo) "Teti"

www.youtube.com

Barbara Kanam - Teti


Cesaria Evoria (Cape Verde) - "Miss Perfumado"

www.youtube.com

Cesaria Evora - Miss Perfumado (20th Anniversary Edition)


Charlotte Dada (Ghana) - "Don't let me Down Ghana Beatles Cover"

www.youtube.com

Charlotte Dada - Don't Let Me Down (Ghana 1971) - (Beatles Cover)


Cold Specks (Somalia/Canada) - "Neuroplasticity"

www.youtube.com

Cold Specks - Neuroplasticity (A Short Film)


Efya (Ghana) - "Forgetting Me"

www.youtube.com

Efya - Forgetting Me


Faarrow (Somalia) - "Chasing Highs"

www.youtube.com

Faarrow - Chasing Highs


Mapei (Liberia/Sweden) - "Don't Wait"

www.youtube.com

Mapei - Don't Wait


Inna Modja (Mali) - "Motel Bamako"

www.youtube.com

Tombouctou Inna Modja - Motel Bamako


Jojo Abot (Ghana) - "Fyfya Woto"

www.youtube.com

JOJO ABOT - FYFYA WOTO (The Narrative PT1)


Ayra Starr (Nigeria) "Rush"

www.youtube.com

Ayra Starr - Rush


Lebo Mathosa (South Africa) "Ntozabantu"

www.youtube.com

Lebo Mathosa - Ntozabantu (Music Video)℗ 2000 Gallo Record Company

Les Nubians (Cameroon / France) - "Princesse Nubienne"

www.youtube.com

Princesse nubienne


Lijadu Sisters (Nigeria) - "Danger"

www.youtube.com

Danger


Lira (South Africa) - "Something Inside So Strong"

www.youtube.com

Lira - Something Inside So Strong (Official Audio)

Lola Rae (Nigeria) - "Fi Mi Le"

www.youtube.com

Lola Rae Feat. Iyanya - Fi Mi Le (OFFICIAL VIDEO)


Mayra Andrade Storia (Cape Verde) - "Storia"

www.youtube.com

Mayra Andrade- Stória


Mbilia Bel (Democratic Republic of the Congo) - Phénomene

www.youtube.com

Phénomene


Nadia Rose (Ghana) - "Highly Flammable"

www.youtube.com

Nadia Rose - The Intro


Miriam Makeba (South Africa) - "Welela"

www.youtube.com

Miriam Makeba - Welela

Nneka (Nigeria) "Soul Is Heavy"

www.youtube.com

Nneka - Soul Is Heavy (Videoclip)

Nonku Phiri  (South Africa) - Things We Do On The Weekend

www.youtube.com

Nonku Phiri - Things We Do On The Weekend

Oumou Sangaré (Mali) "Mali Nialé"

www.youtube.com

Oumou Sangaré - Mali Nialé (Official Video)

Reniss (Cameroon) - "Manamuh"

www.youtube.com

Reniss - Manamuh

Alhaja Queen Salawa Abeni and her Waka Modernisers (Nigeria) - "Experience"

www.youtube.com

Alhaja Queen Salawa Abeni and her Waka Modernisers - Experience

Seinabo Sey  (Gambia/Sweden) - "Pretend"

www.youtube.com

Seinabo Sey - Pretend

Sibongile Khumalo (South Africa) -  "Mayihlome"

www.youtube.com

Sibongile Khumalo - Mayihlome ( PUTUMAYO - WOMEN OF AFRICA )

Simi (Nigeria) - "Complete me"

www.youtube.com

Simi - Complete Me | Official Video

Somi (Uganda/Rwanda)- "Last Song"

www.youtube.com

Somi - Last Song

Stella Chiweshe (Zimbabwe) - "Njuzu (Remastered)"

www.youtube.com

Stella Chiweshe - Njuzu (Remastered)

Rachel Brown (Ethiopia/US) - "Bumblebee"

www.youtube.com

Rachel Brown - Bumblebee

Tinashe (Zimbabwe/US) - "Aquarius"

www.youtube.com

Tinashe - Aquarius (Official)

Tiwa Savage (Nigeria)- "Loaded"

www.youtube.com

Tiwa Savage, Asake - Loaded (Official Video)

Tshala Muana (Democratic Republic of the Congo) - "Biduaya"

www.youtube.com

Tshala Muana - Biduaya

Vanessa Mdee (Tanzania) - Niroge

www.youtube.com

Vanessa Mdee - Niroge (Official Music Video)

Victoria Kimani (Kenya) -"Wonka"

www.youtube.com

Victoria kimani - Wonka (Official Video)

Yemi Alade (Nigeria) - "Jo Jo"

www.youtube.com

Yemi Alade - Jo Jo (Official Video) ft. Bisa Kdei

Yondo Sister (Democratic Republic of the Congo) - "Bazo"

www.youtube.com

Congo - Yondo Sister - Bazo - Copyright Claim by IODA.mp4

Yvonne Chaka Chaka (South Africa) - "Thank you Mr. DJ"

www.youtube.com

Thank You Mr. D.J


Sho Madjozi (South Africa) - "Chale"

www.youtube.com

Sho Madjozi - Chale (Official Music Video)

Megamafia (South Africa) - "Storiez to Tell"

soundcloud.com

MegMafia - Storiez 2 Tell Mixtape by Megmafia

Busi Ncube (Zimbabwe) - "Salulandela"

www.youtube.com

Salulandela

Zahara (South Africa) - "Loliwe"

www.youtube.com

Zahara - Loliwe [with Lyrics]

Carol Mujukoro (Zimbabwe) - "Magumo"

www.youtube.com

Carol Mujokoro - MagumoHee Magumo!Ah Magumo !Aya Atosvika!Hamuzvioni Here Hama Kuti Magumo AtosvikaZviratidzo Zvemushoko Nhasi ZvoonekwaMukadzi Nemukadzi Vochata! Haaa Zvinotyisa.M...

Dobet Gnahoré (Cote d'ivoire) - "Cote d'ivoire"

www.youtube.com

Dobet Gnahoré - Cote d'ivoire

Jean Grae (South Africa) - "Black GIrl Pain"

www.youtube.com

Jean Grae/ Talib Kweli - Black GIrl Pain

Sathima Bea Benjamin (South Africa) - "WindSong"

www.youtube.com

Sathima Bea Benjamin / Windsong (1986)

Dorothy Masuka (South Africa) - "Lendaba"

www.youtube.com

Lendaba

Saado Cali Warsame (Somalia) - "Laand Karuusar"

www.youtube.com

SAADO CALI (landcruiser) Hees

Les Amazones de Guinée (Guinea) - "Samba"

www.youtube.com

Les Amazones de Guinee- Samba

Mampi (Zambia) - "Maloza"

www.youtube.com

Mampi - Maloza.mp4

Rokia Traore (Mali) - Mouneisa

www.youtube.com

Rokia Traore – Mouneissa

Violet Kafua Mwebalume (Zambia)- "Bandi"

www.youtube.com

Mwebalume Bandi The Crossbones Zambian Music

Nomfusi (South Africa) - "Kwazibani"

www.youtube.com

Kwazibani

Zonke Dikana (South Africa) - "Dear Child (So Many Ways - pseudo)"

www.youtube.com

Zonke - Dear Child (So Many Ways - pseudo)

61. Lady Jay Wah (Ghana) - ''Abasem''

www.youtube.com

Abasem

Lucie Yenga (Democratic Republic of the Congo) - ''Mwana Mama''

www.youtube.com

Lucie Eyenga - Mwana Mama (Congo, 1950s)

Laurette La Perle (Democratic Republic of the Congo) - ''Love Story''

www.youtube.com

Laurette la perle - Love Story [ ALBUM 15 TITRES DISPO REGARDEZ LA DESCRIPTION]

Khadja Nin (Burundi) - ''Man''

www.youtube.com

Khadja Nin ( Burundi) - Mama

Lorine Chia (Cameroon) -  ''Fly High''

www.youtube.com

Lorine Chia - Fly High

Emel Mathlouthi (Tunisia) - ''Kelmti Horra''

www.youtube.com

Emel Mathlouthi - Kelmti Horra (My Word Is Free) (Live on KEXP)

Coumba Gawlo (Senegal) - ''Aldiana''

www.youtube.com

Coumba Gawlo - Aldiana

Chidinma (Nigeria) - ''Fallen in Love''

www.youtube.com

Chidinma - Fallen in Love [Official Video]

Barbara Kanam (Congo) - ''Chéri Mupenzi''

www.youtube.com

Barbara Kanam - Chéri Mupenzi (Clip Officiel)

Lady Ponce (Cameroon) - ''Amour et folie''

www.youtube.com

Lady Ponce - Amour et folie (Vidéo Officielle)

Charlotte Dipanda (Cameroon) -  ''Massa''

www.youtube.com

Massa

Viviane Chidid (Senegal) - ''Yaakaar''

www.youtube.com

Viviane Chidid - Yaakaar - ( IL Principe )

Sessimè (Benin) - Mayavio

youtu.be

Sessimè - Mayavio ( clip officiel )

Di'ja (Nigeria) - Sowemo

www.youtube.com

Di'Ja - Sowemo ( Official Music Video )

Teeyah (Ivory Coast) -  En Secret

youtu.be

Teeyah - En Secret [Clip Officiel]

Almok (Togo) - Nononini

www.youtube.com

ALMOK - Nononini (Official Video)

Zeynab (Benin) - ''Mogba Ara Da'

www.youtube.com

Zeynab -Mogba Ara Da (Bolojo)

Les Amazones d'Afrique (Various Countries) - Mamani Keïta

www.youtube.com

Les Amazones d'Afrique feat. Mamani Keïta - Doona (Audio)

Zoe Modiga (South Africa) - ''Yakhalinkomo''

youtu.be

Zoe Modiga - Yakhalinkomo

Fatoumata Diawara (Mali) - "Bissa"

youtu.be

Fatoumata Diawara - Bissa

Little Simz (Nigeria) - ''Point and Kill''

youtu.be

Little Simz - Point And Kill feat. Obongjayar (Official Video)

Grace Decca (Cameroon) - ''Appelle-moi Princesse''

www.youtube.com

Appelle-moi princesse

Charlotte Mbango (Cameroon) - ''Ayo Mbae''

www.youtube.com

Charlotte Mbango - Ayo mbae

Monique Séka (Ivory Coast) - ''Okaman''

www.youtube.com

monique seka okaman

Dope Saint Jude (South Africa) - ''For You''

www.youtube.com

Dope Saint Jude - For You (Official Music Video)

Ammara Brown (Zimbabwe) - "Akiliz"

www.youtube.com

AMMARA BROWN - AKILIZ (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

Siti binti Saad (Tanzania) - "Wewe Paka"

www.youtube.com

Wewe Paka

Bi Kidude (Tanzania) - "Kijiti"

youtu.be

Bi Kidude - kijiti

Gigi (Ethiopia) - "Utopia"

youtu.be

Gigi: Utopia

Seyi Shay (Nigeria) - "Right Now"

www.youtube.com

Seyi Shay - Right Now (Official Video)

Najat Atabou (Morocco) - "El Maktab"

www.youtube.com

El Maktab

Suzanna Owíyo (Kenya) - "Gonya"

www.youtube.com

Gonya

Stella Mwangi (Kenya/Norway) - Koolio

www.youtube.com

STELLA MWANGI - KOOLIO (Official Video)

Nuela Charles (Kenya/Canada) - "Final Round"

youtu.be

NUELA CHARLES: Track 7 "Final Round" (AUDIO)

Neyma (Mozambique) - "Arromba"

www.youtube.com

Neyma - Arromba (Official Music Video)

Lizha James (Mozambique) - "My Love"

www.youtube.com

Lizha James - My love (oficial video)

Dama Do Bling (Mozambique) - "Bad Girl"

www.youtube.com

Dama do Bling - Bad girl

Malia (Malawi) - "Fever"

www.youtube.com

Fever

Nataly Andria (Madagascar) - Something New"

www.youtube.com

NATALY ANDRIA - SOMETHING NEW

Cecile Kayirebwa (Rwanda) - "Rwanda"

www.youtube.com

CECILE KAYIREBWA- Rwanda ( Audio)

Miss Jojo (Rwanda) - ''Nganirira''

www.youtube.com

Nganirira by Miss Jojo

Nina Ogot (Kenya) - "Dala"

youtu.be

Nina Ogot - Dala

Muthoni the Drummer Queen (Kenya) - ''Link Up!"

www.youtube.com

MUTHONI DRUMMER QUEEN- Link Up!

Wendi Kimani (Kenya) - "Pagawisha"

www.youtube.com

Wendy Kimani - Pagawisha (Official Video)

Ghalia Benali (Tunisia) - Anissia

youtu.be

Ghalia Benali - Anissia (2001, Tunisia / Belgium)

Rema Namakula (Uganda) - ''Oli Wange''

www.youtube.com

Rema - Oli Wange

Desire Luzinda (Uganda) - ''Ekitone''

www.youtube.com

Ekitone DESIRE LUZINDA New Ugandan Music 2017 HD

Mariam Ndagire (Uganda) - ''Ansisitila''

www.youtube.com

MARIAM NDAGIRE ANSISITIRA

Blu 3 (Uganda) - ''Hitaji''

www.youtube.com

blue 3 -hitaji

Patience Dabany (Gabon) - ''Chéri Ton Disque Est Rayé''

www.youtube.com

Patience Dabany Chéri ton disque est rayé

Nicole Amogho (Gabon) - ''Africa Tèmè''

www.youtube.com

Africa tèmè

Malika Zarra (Morocco) - ''Berber Taxi''

www.youtube.com

Malika Zarra - Berber taxi

Eneida Marta (Guinea-Bissau) - ''Sunhu''

www.youtube.com

Sunhu

Onyeka Onwenu (Nigeria) - ''Wait For Me''

www.youtube.com

Onyeka Onwenu ft King Sunny Ade - Wait for me

Neide Van-Dúnem (Angola) - ''Olá Baby''

www.youtube.com

Caló Pascoal & Neide Van-Dúnem "Olá Baby"

Titica (Angola) - ''Mexer Bem''

www.youtube.com

Titica - Mexer Bem (Official Music Video)

Bucie (South Africa) - ''Princess of House (Easy to Love)''

www.youtube.com

Bucie feat. Heavy-K - Easy To Love (Snaxxzo & Soulic M Unofficial Remix)

Babes Wodumo (South Africa) - ''Wololo''

www.youtube.com

Babes Wodumo ft Mampintsha - Wololo (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

. Fena Gitu (Kenya) - ''Steam''

www.youtube.com

Fena Gitu - Steam (Official Music Video) SMS "Skiza 8544995" to 811

Mayonde (Kenya) - ''Magic In the Air''

www.youtube.com

Mayonde - Magic In The Air

Karyna Gomes (Guinea-Bissau/Cape Verde) - ''Mindjer I Namê''

www.youtube.com

Karyna Gomes - Mindjer i Namê

Concha Buika (Equatorial Guinea/Spain) - ''La noche más larga''

www.youtube.com

La noche más larga

Hijas del Sol (Equatorial Guinea) - ''Sibèba''

www.youtube.com

HIJAS DEL SOL · Sibèba [Official Video]

Sona Jobarteh (Gambia) - ''Fasiya''

www.youtube.com

Fasiya

The Clarisse Sisters (Mauritius) - ''Fire & Ice''

www.youtube.com

The Clarisse Sisters - Fire & Ice featuring Basia

]

126. Hope Masike (Zimbabwe) - ''Tsubvubone''

www.youtube.com

HOPE MASIKE - Tsubvubone (Official Video)

Chiwoniso Maraire (Zimbabwe) - ''Rebel Woman''

www.youtube.com

Rebel Woman

Ivy Kombo (Zimbabwe) - ''Kasi Wawana Jesu''

www.youtube.com

Ivy Kombo-Kasi Wawana Jesu

Safiath (Niger) - ''Tazedar''

www.youtube.com

Safiath - Tazedar HD

Zara Moussa (Niger) - ''Kirari''

www.youtube.com

Kirari

Habsou Garba (Niger) - ''Gargadi''

www.youtube.com

Hamsou Garba / GARGADI

Fati Mariko (Niger) - ''A nin kayna''

www.youtube.com

Abdallah feat Fati Mariko - A nin kayna [Clip Vidéo]

Mahali Selepe (Lesotho) - ''Dignified''

www.youtube.com

Mahali Selepe - Dignified

Velemseni (Swaziland) - "Barely"

www.youtube.com

Velemseni - Barely (Official Video)

135. Nawal (Comoros) - "Musica"

www.youtube.com

Official Music Video ~ Nawal "Musica" from the album Aman

Chamsia Sagaf (Comoros) - "Nafassi"

www.youtube.com

Nafassi

Sandra Esparon (Seychelles) -"Laisse Li"

www.youtube.com

"Laisse Li" (Les li) - Sandra Esparon (Seychelles 2017)

Jenny Letourdie (Seychelles) - "Tanbour

www.youtube.com

Jenny Letourdie Tanbour

Mounira Mitchala (Chad) - "Talou Lena"

www.youtube.com

Talou Lena

Zaho (Algeria/Canada) - "Dima"

www.youtube.com

Dima (Version Arabe)

Assia (Algeria/France) - "Nos destinées"

www.youtube.com

Nos destinées

Souad Massi (Algeria) - "Deb"

www.youtube.com

Deb

Dalida Salma (Egypt/Italy/France) - "Salma Ya Salama"

www.youtube.com

Dalida - Salma Ya Salama (Sueño Flamenco ) (VJ Zenman Arabian Dream Video Mix)

145. Sherine (Egypt) - ''Ana Ketir''

www.youtube.com

Ana Ketir

Asma Salim (Libya) - "Asma Saleem"

www.youtube.com

New Libyan Song - Asma Saleem.mp4

Umm Kulthum (Egypt) - "Enta Oumry"

www.youtube.com

Enta Omri - Umm Kulthum (Egypt 1946)

Nawel Ben Kraïem (Tunisia) - "Lebess"

www.youtube.com

Nawel Ben Kraïem - Lebess

Malouma (Mauritania) - "Dunya"

www.youtube.com

Dunya

Anziza Salema (Madagascar) - "Ameolalana"

www.youtube.com

Ameolalana
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