Lizha James

Mozambique's Lizha James ranks among the foremost talents across Lusophone Africa, the Portuguese-speaking nations of the continent. Her signature approach merges marrabenta, reggae, Afro-house, R&B, hip-hop, and the regional hybrid rhythm and singing style dzukuta pandza. She reached mainstream audiences in 2005 through her sophomore album Rainha do Ragga and has since held a leading position in the Lusophone music world, releasing chart-topping singles such as "Chocolate" and "Quem Ti Mandou" while adding kwaito, house, and dancehall to her palette.

Born Elisa Lisete James Humbane, she first cultivated her musical interest through the church choir. At age 14 she entered a local house music collective, yet by 2000 she chose to proceed independently. After issuing her debut album Watching You, she devoted several years to a thriving print modeling career. She resumed music in 2005 with Rainha do Ragga, which contained the hit "4 All Ya." Its video secured multiple awards and generated support for her third album Sentimentos de Mulher, home to the chart-topping singles "Lutas Entre Familias" and "Aniguiri" and marked by a stronger marrabenta and reggae emphasis.

Tracks including 2011's "Nandi We" and "Stop Trafico" found James confronting subjects such as domestic violence and child trafficking, while the 2015 Afro-house single "Chocolate" delivered international success. She has continued sharpening her sound on later releases such as "Filho Pródigo" (2018), "Ni Txati Mina" (2019), and "Mais Um Beijo" (2020), the last of which included South Korean rapper G2.