Izinto Zamahhal

Ugatsheni’s 2025 album Izinto Zamahhala presents a firmly collaborative take on Maskandi, bringing together a wide group of established and emerging voices across 13 tracks. Released on 17 December, the album is built around Ugatsheni’s name while giving its featured artists a substantial presence throughout the tracklist.

The collaboration is not limited to one or two guest appearances. Thobani Mmema, Sonqonqo and Thuthani Ndlovu appear across several songs, creating recurring links between tracks such as “Umgqozo”, “Usuthu”, “Wadlala Ngami”, “Thubhobho” and “Ngifuna Imali”. Other contributors, including Jaiva Zimnike, Inkosi Yamagcokama, Luve, Mjolisi, Mfoka Msezane and Jumbo, bring additional names into the album’s wider Maskandi circle.

Several songs stand out because of the scale of their line-ups. “Umgqozo” features Jaiva Zimnike alongside Thuthani Ndlovu, JJ Mbuthuma, Zuma, Sonqonqo and Thobani Mmema, while “Ngifuna Imali” brings together Luve, Mjolisi, Thobani Mmema, Thuthani Ndhlovu, Phathaphatha Ngcobo, Celumusa Zuma, Sonqonqo and Thuthani Ndlovu. The album also includes more focused pairings, such as “Izinto Zamahhala” with Thobani Mmema and Thuthani Ndhlovu, and “Ezulwini” with Jumbo, Sonqonqo, Celumusa Zuma and Thobani Mmema.

With its repeated collaborators and broad guest list, Izinto Zamahhala is best understood as a shared Maskandi release rather than a strictly solo statement. Its value lies in the way Ugatsheni places his work within a broad network of artists, making collaboration the album’s clearest defining feature.