Zambian-born, London-educated, Paris-trained and now Botany resident Major Zulu, this month unpacks her well-travelled musical suitcase to entertain Sydney fans of soul and jazz. Known for her engaging stage presence, prowess as a storyteller and a singing style rooted in blues and gospel music, Major Zulu will bring the hues and moods of Paris, Berlin and Lusaka to Chatswood Concourse on October 17.
Ms Zulu’s peripatetic career has seen her sharing stages with renowned artists like Norah Jones, Amy Winehouse, James Morrison, Paolo Nutini, and Earth, Wind & Fire.
She has performed at international festivals including South by Southwest (USA), Glastonbury (UK) and CMJ-New York City (USA).
But her musical journey began in Zambia listening to her father’s jazz records and sneaking away to a gospel church, where hearing women singing and expressing their emotions opened her up to “something bigger inside”.
Her name Major came from her father who was in the army. She was a tomboy and very close to her dad, who called her “Little Major”, which became her nickname. After he died, she wanted to embrace his name.
London, Paris … Sydney
Ms Zulu’s father was an advocate for social justice who became an engineer and a diplomat, which meant she travelled a lot as a child.
When she moved to the UK to study, she gained recognition for her distinctive and powerful vocals in the rock group Dirty Fuzz, whose sources ranged from Muddy Waters to the Stooges. In that setting, Major (then known as Elida) Zulu was described as the lovechild of Bon Scott and Tina Turner.
A pivotal moment in her career was collaborating with the Grammy Award-winning band Basement Jaxx as the lead vocalist on the track “Everybody”. Through that, she got her first booking agent, sending Dirty Fuzz all across Germany and the UK.
Pursuing her desire for creative freedom, Ms Zulu relocated to Paris, where she honed her skills in small historic jazz venues like Le Duc des Lombards, Le Caveau des Oubliettes, and Aux Trois Maillets.
Paris played a significant role in her artistic development. For eight years, she immersed herself in the city’s culture and crafted a unique sound that fused jazz, soul and R&B.
“In Paris, where people sat down and listened to what I wanted to say, I really found my essence. I could be more of myself.”
Until her arrival in Australia six years ago, Major Zulu always felt like a citizen of the world, constantly moving and collecting cultures and stories. She never thought she would end up in Australia.
“Being a diplomat’s child, I should have known better but the stories I read made me hesitant and Australia was so far away. I was like, ‘No Black person comes to Australia. Who’s going to do my hair?’”
But, when she arrived, she was pleasantly surprised. Now she is a citizen, has a passport and says she feels settled in a country for the first time.
She described her 2024 EP I Am Major Zulu as “a snapshot of a moment in time where I’ve found peace, love and a sense of belonging”.
Her ambition was to introduce a touch of soul and diversity to the local music scene: “a different perspective from all my travels”.
Sense of community
Ms Zulu’s songwriting draws inspiration from personal experiences, historical events and social issues.
Her lyrics often address dysfunctional relationships, love and pain, and racial tension. She said, “I’ve always been interested in real-life music. Something from the heart.”
Ms Zulu inherited her father’s concern for the welfare of the community. While working as a nurse in a London hospital she helped save the lives of teenage stabbing victims and consequently started a campaign to try to end gang violence.
Funds raised from Drop Your Knife And Pick Up A Guitar went to community youth projects to inspire young people to join a music group instead of a gang and express themselves through music, not violence.
She said, “I think for me we are losing a sense of community. Imagine what the kids are doing. We leave them with computers.
“Sometimes there is no choice. Parents are working, life is hard. I just think music is one way to connect again and hold on to community.
“It might be a bit romantic but I always thought music could transcend race and crime. Part of me still holds on to that.
“I think my shows are not just coming to see a great singer. I think it’s more, ‘Let’s connect, have fun, and understand we are in this together.’”
In her social media, Ms Zulu shared a reel of American singer, songwriter and civil rights activist Nina Simone saying, “It’s an artist’s duty to reflect the times in which we live.”
Ms Zulu said, “There is music that lets us escape – and there is a place for escapism – but I think people also need to be eased of their anxieties and understand they aren’t alone in this.
“What’s happening with some music, with what some media is pushing, is more superficial.
“People are hurting. Our politicians are not doing the right things. Music is one way people can speak out and help people understand.”
Containing multitudes
Ms Zulu tells people, “If you really want to know who I am, come and see me on stage. Because I am very free on stage.”
She said she had so much going on that people who hadn’t really travelled might find it hard to wrap themselves around her when they heard her speak French or break into other languages.
“I was not just visiting countries, I was living in them, embracing those cultures, and being influenced by all sorts of styles of music.
“Such a mixture has gone into me: African beats, Black American music, French. You might think you have heard my sound before but you haven’t really.”
She said the youth and energy of Dirty Fuzz in London taught her a lot about herself. That is why when she is doing jazz and soul it is not just sitting on stage; it is about stories and energy.
Rock and roll taught her that, as an artist, she had to be free to really go there, to open up on stage and be herself. Now she brings that attitude into her songwriting and performances.
Soul at its best
Ms Zulu said Chatswood Concourse would be “one of the shows where I think you are going to hear it all. You can expect a great band, amazing musicians. You are going to hear stories, you are going to have laughter, just good vibes. Soul at its best.”
She is looking forward to performing songs from her critically acclaimed 2021 EP, The DIY Project Called Life.
“It’s an album which I still love listening to. Bringing them to the stage will be insane.
“I just want Sydney to be there to see what we have is not just about me, it’s everyone. I’m really hoping everyone comes out and has a good time.”
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Major Zulu: Unpacked – Journey, Soul & Stories from the Earth’s Own Suitcase will be on Friday 17 October at The Concourse Lounge, Chatswood. Doors open 7.30pm.
