I write this piece after four years of exposure to producer, trumpeter, and all-around musician Ndabo Zulu’s debut album Queen Nandi: The African Symphony. Collaborating with a band of exceptional musicians, collectively named the Umgidi Ensemble, Zulu created what many have simply dubbed “a beautiful work of art.” I fell in love at first listen, initially appreciating this body of work solely for its sonic elements. However, I later found myself deeply considering the title and the underlying complexities that exist beneath the perfect synergy of percussion, voice, and all the other instruments one encounters upon a surface-level listen.