Ooohe, ooh
Ooohe, ooh
Ooohe, Makeba, Makeba ma qué bella
Can I get a "oohe?" Makeba
Makes my body dance for you
Ooohe, Makeba, Makeba ma qué bella
Can I get a "oohe?" Makeba
Makes my body dance for you
Ooohe, Makeba, Makeba ma qué bella
Can I get a "oohe?" Makeba
Makes my body dance for you
Ooohe, Makeba, Makeba ma qué bella
Can I get a "oohe?" Makeba
Makes my body dance for you
I want to hear your breath just next to my soul
I want to feel oppress without any rest
I want to see you sing
I want to see you fight
Because you are the real beauty of human right
Ooohe, Makeba, Makeba ma qué bella
Can I get a "oohe?" Makeba
Makes my body dance for you
Ooohe, Makeba, Makeba ma qué bella
Can I get a "oohe?" Makeba
Makes my body dance for you
Nobody can beat the Mama Africa
You follow the beat that she's going to give ya
Only her smile can all make it go
The sufferation of a thousand more
Ooohe, Makeba, Makeba ma qué bella
Can I get a "oohe?" Makeba
Makes my body dance for you
Ooohe, Makeba, Makeba ma qué bella
Can I get a "oohe?" Makeba
Makes my body dance for you
Ooohe, Makeba, Makeba ma qué bella
Can I get a "oohe?" Makeba
Makes my body dance for you
Ooohe, Makeba, Makeba ma qué bella
Can I get a "oohe?" Makeba
Makes my body dance for you
Ooohe, Makeba, Makeba ma qué bella
Can I get a "oohe?" Makeba
Makes my body dance for you
Ooohe, Makeba, Makeba ma qué bella
Can I get a "oohe?" Makeba
Makes my body dance for you
Ooohe, Makeba ma qué bella
Ooohe, Makeba ma qué bella
Ooohe, Makeba ma qué bella
Ooohe, Makeba ma qué bella
Ooohe, Makeba ma qué bella
About this song
Jain's song "Makeba" pays tribute to South African singer and civil rights activist Miriam Makeba, a vocal opponent of apartheid in the nation and a representation of the artistic impact of Africa.
Jain's international upbringing—she and her family had moved to live in Congo and other countries throughout the world at a very young age—inspired her to admire Makeba and to seek a career in music.
Jain was exposed to Miriam Makeba's influence on the African continent early on and looked up to her as a role model. She adds that the first song she ever heard was "Pata Pata" But after relocating to France years later, Jain realised that none of her acquaintances were familiar with Makeba and her legacy, so she made the decision to.
In particular, "Makeba," the groovy and catchy standout of the album that was released as its second single in late 2016 with a music video shot in South Africa, earned the French singer her first GRAMMY nomination at the 60th annual award ceremony. The album, Zanaka, was heavily influenced by musical styles from Africa.
Thanks to TikTok, "Makeba" gained enormous popularity in June 2023 after going viral and receiving millions of views on the video-sharing website.