www.qkumbazoo.co.za

Qkumba Zoo is a dance music trio from Johannesbu… Read Full Bio ↴www.qkumbazoo.co.za

Qkumba Zoo is a dance music trio from Johannesburg, South Africa, consisting of vocalist Levannah, dancer/sculptor Tziki and producer Owl.

Their first album, Wake Up & Dream, was a unique break into the music scene in 1996, featuring 11 tracks of feel-good dance music. The songs provided an enjoyable listening experience, with Owl's mix of sounds and beats backing up Levannah's incredible voice. Their song "The Child (Inside)" hit #1 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1996 and #69 on the Hot 100. Recently the track has been used in several US television commercials, the most popular being from Seaworld amusement parks. Wake Up & Dream also reflected the band's strong feelings in supporting anti-apartheid, shown in the song Weeping. The trio, like many others in South Africa, struggled with being white in a nation torn apart by racism.

Several years after the album's release, band member Tziki committed suicide. This was one of the catalysts that changed Owl and Levannah over the next several years, which can be heard in the music of their second album, Butterfly Peepl, released in 2000. In addition to the album's release, the band's name was officially shortened from Qkumba Zoo to QZoo. The group also left Arista in favor of their own independent label, Zoocumba Music.

While Wake Up & Dream did not have as big an impact on the music scene as was hoped, Butterfly Peepl was barely noticed at all. Even most fans weren't lucky enough to grab a copy when QZoo's official site still existed. However, the second album musically surpassed the first one, showing the true potential of Owl's songwriting. The music seemed to mature beyond Wake Up & Dream, and in QZoo terms, one could say that they had finally hatched from the coccoon.

In 2001, long after their domain had disappeared, QZoo popped up on a new website under the name Innaskinz. The band still consisted of Owl and Levannah, who were now paired with a woman named Cajun. The site promoted the band and its history, as well as Owl personally running a mailing list. Lyrics for a new song, Rise Up Against the Tide, appeared on the main page for a brief while.

Innaskinz seems to be the last sighting of the band, for not long after, the new site disappeared as well, and the band cut off email communication with its fans, vanishing back into the darkness of Africa. There is no doubt that such magical musicians are still creating music in some way, shape, or form, but outside of South Africa, they now remain a mystery.

Big
Qkumba Zoo Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You are big,

And you shine like the sun

Feel it in your heart

The dream that will be spun

Don't listen to the hype

About the UFO's

There's too many things

Nobody knows

They do their job

And you do yours

Nobody does it better

We're the children of the stars

Hit it big with your heart

And big with your soul

And inside, you're ready

For the light

So move your body

Dance your beat

Shake a dream alive

You are big,

And you shine like the sun

Feel it in your heart

The dream that will be spun

Take some time to know yourself

You shine like the sun

Feel in your heart

The dream

No need to apologize

There's no need to compromise

Sing your dream and sing loud it's real,

It's yours you should be proud

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Qkumba Zoo's "Big" speak to the idea that we all have the potential to be something great, and that we should embrace that potential rather than being held back by doubts and fears. The opening line "You are big, and you shine like the sun" sets the tone for the entire song, as it encourages the listener to recognize their own importance and brilliance. The song encourages listeners to pursue their dreams with an unwavering confidence, and to ignore the naysayers and doubters who might try to convince them otherwise.

The line "Don't listen to the hype about the UFO's" is a play on the idea of conspiracy theories and elaborate stories that people tell themselves to try and make sense of the world around them. In this case, the song is urging listeners to ignore all the strange and inexplicable things that might happen in life, and to focus instead on their own goals and ambitions. The chorus repeats the lines "You are big, and you shine like the sun / Feel it in your heart, the dream that will be spun", emphasizing the idea that if you truly believe in yourself and work hard towards your goals, you can achieve anything.

The closing lines of the song, "No need to apologize / There's no need to compromise / Sing your dream and sing loud it's real, / It's yours you should be proud", serve as a final call to action for the listener. The song is encouraging them to be proud of who they are, to embrace their dreams, and to never apologize or compromise for the sake of others. In the end, "Big" is a powerful reminder that we all have the potential to be something great, and that we should never let anyone or anything hold us back.

Line by Line Meaning

You are big,
You are a significant and important individual.

And you shine like the sun
You radiate positivity and enthusiasm.

Feel it in your heart
Your passion and aspirations are deep-rooted inside you.

The dream that will be spun
The vision and idea that you will bring to life.

Don't listen to the hype
Pay no attention to rumors or fake claims.

About the UFO's
Regarding the unidentified flying objects.

There's too many things
There are too many mysteries in the world.

Nobody knows
No one has all the answers.

They do their job
Let others do their work.

And you do yours
Focus on your own tasks.

Nobody does it better
No one can do it like you do.