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{{short description|Tanzanian singer and songwriter from Zanzibar.}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Zuchu
| image             =
| caption           = Zuchu in 1993
| birth_name        = Zuhura Othman Soud <ref name="Wasafi_bio">{{cite web |last1=Soud |first1=Zuhura Shunda |title=Zuchu |url=https://www.wcbwasafi.com/artist/zuchu |website=wcbwasafi.com |publisher=WCB Wasafi |access-date=18 June 2022 |location=Dar es Salaam}}</ref>
| alias             = Zuchu
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1993|11|22}}
| birth_place       = [[Zanzibar]], [[Tanzania]]
| genre             = [[Bongo flava]], Baibuda
| occupation        = Singer-songwriter, dancer
| instrument        = Vocals
| years_active      = 2020–present
| label             = [[WCB Wasafi]]
}}
'''Zuhura Othman Soud''' better known by her stage name '''Zuchu''', is a [[Tanzanian]] singer and songwriter born on November 22,1993 in [[Zanzibar]]. She is currently based in [[Dar es Salaam]] and is signed to [[WCB Wasafi]] record label.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/news/entertainment/Zuchu-is-the-new-face-on-Diamond-s-record-label-WCB/1840560-5519064-8da1n4z/index.html|title=Zuchu is the new face on Diamond's record label WCB |newspaper=[[The Citizen (Tanzania)|The Citizen]] |access-date=4 June 2020}}</ref>
== Early life ==
Zuchu hails from a prominent musical family in [[Zanzibar|Zanzibar, Tanzania]], known for their contributions to [[Swahili language|Swahili]] music. Her mother is renowned [[taarab]] musician Khadija Kopa. Her father, Othman Soud, was a songwriter for Khadija Kopa and the celebrated TOT Band during its peak. He later became a police officer.
Through her mother, Zuchu had the opportunity to meet Diamond Platnumz, the founder of the Wasafi label, leading to an audition with him. During this audition, she performed two songs, including a rendition of "Wana," which subsequently became her debut single. Her performance earned her a place in the Wasafi Family in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-01 |title=Read 8 Facts You Should Know About Zuchu {{!}} Notjustok East Africa |url=https://notjustok.com/eastafrica/news/8-surprising-facts-you-should-know-about-zuchu-see-details/ |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=Latest East African & Bongo Flava Music, Songs & Video - Notjustok |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Career ==
Zuchu started singing at a tender age and later collaborated with her mother Khadija Kopa on a song titled "Mauzauza" from her debut EP ''I am Zuchu''. Among her first appearances as a musician to the public date back to 2015 in the first edition of TECNO OWN THE STAGE in [[Lagos]], [[Nigeria]]<ref>{{Citation|title=EP4 Zouchu Performance|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahdgDqFJUdY|language=en|access-date=2021-03-14}}</ref> which she auditioned together with Tanzanian singer, [[Nandy (singer)|Nandy]].
In 2022, Zuchu  became the most subscribed female artist on Sub Saharan Africa on Youtube<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2022-10-25 |title=Zuchu the most Youtube subscribed female artist in Sub-Saharan Africa — citiMuzik |url=https://www.citimuzik.com/2022/10/zuchu-the-most-youtube-subscribed-female-artist-in-sub-saharan-africa.html |access-date=2023-02-21 |language=en-US}}</ref> and few months later she became the first female artist in East Africa to clock 100 Million streams on [[Boomplay]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Diamond, Zuchu, Harmonize and Nandy emerge top artists in Boomplay Recap 2022 |language=en |work=The Citizen |url=https://www.thecitizen.co.tz/tanzania/news/entertainment/diamond-zuchu-harmonize-and-nandy-emerge-top-artists-in-boomplay-recap-2022-4058478 |access-date=2023-02-21}}</ref>
In 2022, Zuchu became the first female artist in East Africa to earn a nomination at the MTV EMAs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tanzanian singer Zuchu nominated for 2022 MTV Awards {{!}} The East African |url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/magazine/zuchu-nominated-2022-mtv-ema-awards-3983704?view=htmlamp |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=www.theeastafrican.co.ke}}</ref>
Zuchu started 2023 with a new single titled Utaniua, Utaniua was critically acclaimed as Tanzania's music journalist, Charles Maganga appreciated Utaniua as an intimate song where Zuchu pays homage to Bongo Flava and Baibuda <ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-10 |title=Zuchu Drops A Brand New Song Titled "Utaniua" {{!}} Notjustok |url=https://notjustok.com/eastafrica/music/utaniua-zuchu/ |access-date=2023-02-21 |website=Latest East African & Bongo Flava Music, Songs & Video - Notjustok |language=en-US}}</ref>
In March 2023, Zuchu released her first official music video for the year 2023 for a new single titled Napambana.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-10 |title=Zuchu - Napambana (Official Music Video)|url=https://www.nyimbompya.com/zuchu-napambana-official-music-video-17407.html |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=Nyimbo Mpya |language=en-US}}</ref>
In June 2023, Zuchu announced that she had surpassed 500 million views on Youtube, making her the first female artist in East Africa and the fifth female artist in Africa to achieve this milestone.<ref>{{Cite web |title=@officialzuchu surpassed 500M total views on youtube, She is the 1st Female Artist To Surpass This Milestone In East Africa & 5th in All Africa. |url=https://www.facebook.com/login/?next=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F100065022041900%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02x8JUPX28YGU1gRvwMM6TkJMEs6gY1vTHqdQ9ynjvQwSFjMUox547fXgYo8oaokvzl%2F%3Fapp%3Dfbl |access-date=2023-06-29 |website=Facebook |language=en}}</ref>
In 2023, Zuchu's 2021 hit titled ''Sukari'' was positioned at number 8 by [[NotJustOk|Notjustok]] on their list of the best Tanzanian songs of the decade ranging from 2012-2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tanzanian singer Zuchu nominated for 2022 MTV Awards {{!}} The East African |url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/magazine/zuchu-nominated-2022-mtv-ema-awards-3983704?view=htmlamp |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=www.theeastafrican.co.ke}}</ref>
== Awards ==
In July 2020, Zuchu was awarded the Silver Plaque Button by YouTube for hitting 100,000 subscribers within a week.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 July 2020 |title=Zuchu set to rise under the auspices of Diamond Platnumz |url=https://www.musicinafrica.net/magazine/zuchu-set-rise-under-auspices-diamond-platnumz |access-date=6 November 2020 |website=Music in Africa |language=en}}</ref> She became the first East African female artist to reach that milestone within a week. She also became the first East African female artist to reach 1 million subscribers on YouTube 11 months later.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Muli |first=Davis |title=We have reached 1M subscribers on YouTube I can't thank you enough, Zuchu - Entertainment News |url=https://www.sde.co.ke/article/2001407744/we-have-reached-1m-subscribers-on-youtube-i-can-t-thank-you-enough-zuchu |access-date=2021-04-05 |website=Standard Digital News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-03-27 |title=WCB's Zuchu makes history as she becomes first female artiste in East Africa to hit 1 Million subscribers |url=https://www.pulselive.co.ke/entertainment/celebrities/wcbs-zuchu-makes-history-as-she-becomes-first-female-artiste-in-east-africa-to-hit-1/0h562kd |access-date=2021-04-05 |website=Pulse Live Kenya |language=en-US}}</ref>
In November 2020, Zuchu was named by [[African Muzik Magazine Awards|AFRIMMA]] as the Emerging Artist Award winner.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 November 2020 |title=Check out full list of winners at the 2020 AFRIMMA Awards |url=https://www.pulselive.co.ke/entertainment/celebrities/zuchu-nandy-and-diamond-win-big-at-the-2020-afrimma-awards-full-list/vcs43m6 |access-date=24 November 2020 |website=Pulse Live Kenya |language=en-US}}</ref>
In February 2023, Zuchu received 5 nominations at the Soundcity MVP Awards, where she also performed at the award show.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zuchu - Full Performance At Sound City Mvp Awards In Nigeria |url=https://www.nyimbompya.com/zuchu-full-performance-at-sound-city-mvp-awards-in-nigeria-17188.html |access-date=2023-02-21 |website=Nyimbo Mpya |language=en-US}}</ref>
In April 2023, Zuchu won 5 awards at the Tanzania Music Awards.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-30 |title=TMA decorates Kikwete as Zuchu grabs five awards - Daily News |url=https://dailynews.co.tz/tma-decorates-kikwete-as-zuchu-grabs-five-awards/,%20https://dailynews.co.tz/tma-decorates-kikwete-as-zuchu-grabs-five-awards/ |access-date=2023-05-21 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-04-29 |title=The Full List Of Winners For The 2023 Tanzania Music Awards {{!}} SEE LIST {{!}} Notjustok East Africa |url=https://notjustok.com/eastafrica/awards/the-full-list-of-winners-for-the-2023-tanzania-music-awards-see-list/ |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=Latest East African & Bongo Flava Music, Songs & Video - Notjustok |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Personal life ==
In November 2022, Zuchu publicly acknowledged her romantic relationship with Diamond Platnumz.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-24 |title='I love you always' - Diamond, Zuchu publicly confirm they are dating : K24 TV |url=https://www.k24tv.co.ke/entertainment/diamond-zuchu-confirm-they-are-dating-87324/ |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=www.k24tv.co.ke |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Discography ==
=== Albums ===
Zuchu released her debut EP album ''I Am Zuchu'' in 2020, with a total of 7 songs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.deezer.com/us/album/142790582|title=Zuchu: I Am Zuchu|website=deezer.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Why WCB's new signee Zuchu is a force to reckon with as she unveils her EP 'I am Zuchu' |url=https://www.pulselive.co.ke/entertainment/why-wcbs-new-signee-zuchu-is-a-force-to-reckon-with-as-she-unveils-her-ep-i-am-zuchu/k2tt5v9 |website=Pulselive |access-date=10 June 2020}}</ref>
*2020: ''I Am Zuchu''
=== Singles and collaborations ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Year
!Title
!Album
|-
|2021
|"Yalah"<br>
"Nyumba ndogo"<br>
"Sukari"
|-
|2020
|"Cheche" (feat. [[Diamond Platnumz]])<br>
"Litawachoma" (feat. Diamond Platnumz)<br>
|Side2side
|-
|2020
|"Hakuna Kulala"<br>
"Nisamehe"<br>
"Kwaru"<br>
"Wana"<br>
"Raha"<br>
"Ashua"(<small>feat. [[:sw:Mbosso|Mbosso]])</small><br>
"Mauzauza"<small>(feat. [[:sw:Khadija Kopa|Khadija Kopa]])</small>
|''I Am Zuchu''
|-
| rowspan="6" |2020<br />
|"Tanzania ya Sasa"<br>
"Shangilia"<br>
"Hasara"<br>
"Nobody" (feat. [[Joeboy|Joe Boy]])<br>
"Number One" (Feat. [[Rayvanny]])
| rowspan="6" |
|-
|}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Portal|Tanzania}}
* {{YouTube   | channel=Zuchuchannel | Zuchu }}
* {{Twitter   | officialzuchu        | Zuchu }}
* {{Instagram | officialzuchu        | Zuchu }}
* {{TikTok    | officialzuchu        | officialzuchu }}
*[https://www.bongoxxl.com/tag/zuchu Zuchu – Bongo XXL]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zuchu}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Dar es Salaam]]
[[Category:Tanzanian Muslims]]
[[Category:21st-century Tanzanian women singers]]
[[Category:Women singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:1993 births]]
[[Category:Swahili-language singers of Tanzania]]
[[Category:Tanzanian musicians]]
[[Category:Tanzanian Bongo Flava musicians]]
{{Tanzania-bio-stub}}