Tanzanian music legend Lady Jaydee (Judith Mbibo).
When Lady Jaydee first stepped into a recording booth over two decades ago, she wasn’t just chasing stardom. She was setting the stage for a revolution in East African music. With nothing but raw talent, a distinct voice, and fearless authenticity, she became one of the first women to break through in the male-dominated world of Bongo Flava.
Lady Jaydee has an extensive catalogue, with over 170 songs to her name. This includes both solo hits and collaborations, with approximately 100 features. She is known for her songwriting abilities and is credited with writing many of her songs. Her music spans genres like R&B, Afro-pop, and Bongo Flava: with hits like Ndindindi, Yahaya, Siku Hazigandi, and collaborations like Understanding, Anita, Single Boy, Nitafanya and Rosella.
Fast forward to 2025, and Lady Jaydee is not only celebrating 25 years in the industry but doing so with a renewed spirit, a bold new sound, and a legacy that’s impossible to ignore. Her journey, woven with triumphs, heartbreaks, reinvention, and resilience, is a blueprint for every artiste aspiring to dream in East Africa and beyond.
With her new single Po Po (with over 1M views on YouTube in one month) ushering in a year of commemoration of her silver jubilee, Jaydee reminisces not in regret but in thanksgiving. Her voice, as robust, as melodic, retains the depth of experience and the fervor of a woman who never lost hope, no matter how loud the clamour or heavy the load.
Her career began in the early 2000s, when female artists in East Africa were neglected. But right from the start, Lady Jaydee was unique not only due to her distinctive voice and poetic Swahili lyrics but also because of the raw honesty with which she delivered her music. She sang about love, heartbreak, toughness, and resilience, feelings that resonated within women from all over the region who identified their own experiences in her song.
She began her singing career with Smooth Vibes management, a firm led by the late Ruge Mutahaba. During this period, she released her first two albums, Machozi and Binti, which catapulted her to a well-known artiste in East Africa. With a lot of experience in the industry, she opted out of Smooth Vibes to work independently. This decision gave her greater artistic control and authority over her projects. Gradually, she assembled a team of producers, directors, and co-creators and modified her style of collaborating with others in response to her evolving career and life experience.
But under the success and accolades was a young woman struggling through massive personal challenges. She married early, stepping into the dual roles of wife and stepmother while still laying the foundation of her career. Lady Jaydee married Gardner Habbash, whom she spent nine years with. This phase of life, demanding maturity well beyond her years, had its own tension. The marriage, under the spotlight of scrutiny, ultimately ended in a most public divorce.
Her marriage, which is said to have fallen apart due to differing opinions on him moving to Kenya for a better-paying job, may have affected some of her business ventures. But even during times of emotional upheaval and press rumour, she did not falter.
Tanzanian music legend Lady Jaydee (Judith Mbibo).
Rather than retreat, she channeled her sadness into powerful music. Her post-divorce phase as an artiste marked a shift towards deeply personal, introspective songwriting. Independence songs, recovery songs, and self-esteem songs began to populate her set list. The fans caught on and embraced it. Her vulnerability only caused them to cling to her music more.
“My story is a story of resilience, determination, and victory,” Jaydee reflects. “The highs, the lows, the tears, the laughter, each moment matters. The whole 25-year journey has been a formative one.”
Professionally, Lady Jaydee has achieved what many only dream of. She has collaborated with some of East Africa’s biggest names, Kenya’s award-winning group Sauti Sol, Burundian music legend Kidum, and Tanzanian superstar Alikiba, among others. These collaborations were more than just musical milestones; they were proof of her place in the pantheon of respected East African artistes. In a male-dominated industry, she didn't just survive; she thrived, leading with purpose and poise.
In a time where virality often overshadows true artistry, her 25-year presence in the music industry is not just impressive, it’s historic.
"I started back in the pre-social media days," she says. "Fame came from the quality of your work, not from the extra shenanigans. Once you've worked out yourself and what kind of image you're going to project for your brand, it becomes easy to stay scandal-free."
Now in 2025, her new single Po Po marks the beginning of beginning a new bold chapter.
“It is the first song of 2025, celebrating the silver anniversary, so it has significance just by that,” she explains. “With new management and a new sound, Po Po gives me an opportunity to have a new start to set the tone for the next chapter while being grateful for the one we just completed.”
That new management is Universal Music Group East Africa, a strategic partnership that Jaydee believes not only will take her music to another level, but will give more exposure to East African artists in general.
"East Africa has been catching up globally," she says. "Now, I am able to just unwind and focus on producing good quality work because I have people around me who care and are willing to do whatever it takes in order to get the visibility and exposure needed."
Yet while she embraces modern management and evolving industry realities, Jaydee never compromises on the values that brought her success.
“Things have changed a lot, some for better, some for worse,” she reflects. “Commercialisation allows mediocrity to thrive if there’s funding. Shock value overshadows substance. But I’m grateful to stay on course and see female artistes succeed using my blueprint.”
Her consistency and authenticity have made her a regional icon, one who continues to evolve without losing her essence.
"I continue to draw inspiration from real life, because I always have," she states. "But I challenge myself to keep up with the young generation. I'm more open to working with younger artistes in order to see things from their perspective. My pen is still my pen, but I've accepted change without denying where I came from."
And with time, her definition of success has also changed.
Tanzanian music legend Lady Jaydee (Judith Mbibo).
“Twenty-five years ago, just being heard felt like winning,” Jaydee explains. “Today, it’s about quality and impact. Success now means inspiring the next generation, not chasing personal glory. That’s true legacy.”
Aside from the launch of her 10th studio album, Silver, Jaydee plans to release a personal book, hold art exhibitions and exhibitions on women's health, and top it off with a grand concert in Dar es Salaam, with regional shows following.
But above all, she is grateful.
“Gratitude is everything. We won the lottery of life. We are still here breathing, able to do what we love. Nothing is guaranteed tomorrow,” she says. “Fans should remember that. And I want them to know that Lady Jaydee remembers too. Through gratitude, I find the courage to carry on and I hope that inspires them.”
During the mid-2010s, she ventured into the restaurant business with Nyumbani Lounge, which was later renamed Mog n Bar.
