Zeynab Habib (known professionally as Zeynab) is a world music singer of Beninese Yoruba origin, born on September 25, 1975, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. She is widely recognised for her soulful voice and expansive vocal range, which has earned her numerous accolades. Zeynab’s love for music started at a young age after joining the Super Quartz orchestra, which gave her the opportunity to work alongside several renowned Beninese and international artists. Her debut solo album, Intori (2002) earned her a nomination for the Best Female Newcomer award at the Kora Awards, which she followed with D'un Endroit a un Autre (2004), featuring the Congolese star Lokua Kanza. The album was a massive success, with the song "Enfant" earning her the Best West African Artist award at the Kora Awards in South Africa. In 2011, Zeynab released her third album, Olukémi to critical acclaim, featuring hit tracks "Bébé yiga," "Ayé lé," "Chacun à sa chance," and "Pour son amour." After an extended hiatus, Zeynab made a comeback with her 2016 single "I no go die," which topped online charts in several African countries, peaking at number 2 for two consecutive weeks on the Hit 30 Africa. In 2020, Zeybab was nominated for the Afrimma Awards in both the Best Female West Africa and Video of the Year categories with her song "Waa," featuring Togolese artist Santrinos Raphael, releasing hit singles: “On force pas l'amour” (feat. Fanicko) in 2021, followed by “Gentleman” and “Finale” in 2022.
