Sofiya Nza

Sofiya Nzau (born in Murang’a County, Kenya) is a Kenyan singer-songwriter best known for performing in Kikuyu over electronic and Afro-house productions. She broke out globally as the voice of Zerb’s viral hit “Mwaki” (2023), a song whose Kikuyu lyrics tell of a woman defending a forbidden love. The track spread via TikTok, and its official video was filmed at Hell’s Gate National Park in Kenya.

Her streaming audience surged in 2024; Kenyan outlet Citizen Digital reported she became the first East African artist to surpass 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

Reported as the first Kenyan artist to perform at Tomorrowland (Belgium) in July 2025, appearing with Steve Aoki.

Nzau’s work fuses Kenyan storytelling with club-ready production, centering Kikuyu melodies and phrasing within global dance music. Her rise from self-released vocal packs to international stages is widely cited as a blueprint for cross-continental collaboration in the streaming era.