Every artist grows up hearing echoes of themselves in the voices of others. Not in a copy‑and‑paste way, but in the deeper sense — the way someone phrases a line, caresses a chord, or breathes between notes. Music is a family, after all. We’re all related somehow.
Over the years, people have told me, “You remind me of so‑and‑so,” and I always smile, because the women (and a few men!) they mention belong to a lineage I’m proud to stand in: soulful storytellers, jazz explorers, and voices that don’t shout for attention but command it quietly.
Today, I want to share a few artists whose musical spirit resonates with mine — artists who sing like I sing, or perhaps I sing a little like them.
1. Lizz Wright – The Earthy Elegance
There’s a groundedness in Lizz Wright’s voice that feels like home.
Her music flows like warm honey — slow, deliberate, honest.
She sings with the calm confidence I’ve always admired: never trying too hard, always letting the emotion do the work. People often say she and I share that “quiet fire” — the ability to hold a room with softness, not volume.
If you love the contemplative, soulful side of my album Sephonono, you’ll find a kindred spirit in her catalog.
2. Sade – The Queen of Whispered Emotion
Ah, Sade.
She taught the world that music doesn’t need to be loud to be powerful.
There’s a subtle intimacy in her delivery — a kind of elegant understatement — that inspires my own approach to phrasing. Like her, I believe in letting the message breathe. In trusting the listener. In singing as if you’re sharing a secret.
People who enjoy my minimalist ballads often say, “You give me a touch of Sade.”
I’ll take that compliment any day.
3. Simphiwe Dana – Modern African Jazz with a Poetic Heart
Simphiwe Dana blends jazz, soul, and African traditional roots with a poetic depth that moves me profoundly.
Her music reminds me that African jazz is not a genre — it’s a soul language.
She sings in colours, in memory, in metaphor.
There’s a spiritual sincerity in her voice that I aspire to in my own performances.
If you listen closely, the overlap is there:
– the jazz foundation
– the African storytelling
– the emotional clarity
– the gentle strength
4. Oumou Sangaré – The Warrior With a Velvet Voice
Though her style leans more toward Wassoulou tradition than jazz, Oumou Sangaré’s vocal presence feels familiar to me.
She sings with the steadiness of a woman who knows who she is.
There’s activism, yes — but also tenderness, maternal warmth, and an almost hypnotic repetition in her melodies.
I love that balance.
People often tell me they hear that same mix of strength and softness in my music.
5. Lalah Hathaway – The Velvet Architect
Few voices are as technically perfect and emotionally rich as Lalah Hathaway’s.
She builds harmonies the way architects build bridges — with precision and soul.
Her tone is thick velvet.
Her phrasing is effortless.
Listeners who enjoy the jazzier edges of my music often place us in the same universe. A universe where technique and emotion walk side by side, holding hands.
Why These Artists Matter to Me
When I listen to these women (and others I admire quietly in the background), I hear a reminder:
Music is a conversation across oceans and time.
We influence each other without even knowing it.
We’re part of a lineage of soulful women who carry our cultures, our stories, our heartbreaks, our resilience, and our small joys in our voices.
And every time someone says, “You sound like…” I take it as a gentle nod — not that I am copying anyone, but that I belong to this beautiful family of sound.
If you enjoy my voice, give these artists a listen.
Let them accompany you on a road trip, a quiet morning tea, or a late-night reflection.
Let them be the soundtrack of your softness and your strength.
And if any of them remind you of me, just know:
I’m honoured to be in such company.
Nnunu Ramogotsi: Africa's Jewel 