If you have spent any time digging through Australia’s neo-soul and R&B underground, you already know the name Okenyo. The Sydney-based singer, born Zindzi Okenyo, has spent over a decade stacking up a catalog that swings from percussive, Afro-tinged grooves to vulnerable, stripped-back balladry, and picking the 20 best songs of Okenyo is honestly one of the harder lists I have put together this year. What follows isn’t a algorithm-generated ranking — it’s a track-by-track walk through a discography that rewards close, headphones-on listening.
Broken Chest
“Broken Chest” is where the Okenyo story begins. Released in November 2013 as her debut single, the track already showed the songwriting instincts that would define her later work: a percussive backbone, a vocal that sits somewhere between spoken-word confidence and soul-singer vulnerability, and a lyrical honesty that doesn’t flinch from heartbreak. Listening back to it now, you can hear the DNA of everything she’d go on to build — it’s raw in the best way, the kind of debut that announces an artist rather than just introducing a song. On a good pair of headphones, the sparse low-end arrangement really lets her voice breathe in the mix.
10 Feet Tall
Released April 29, 2016 around the time she signed to independent label Elefant Traks, “10 Feet Tall” is a confidence anthem dressed in alternative R&B clothing. The production leans into syncopated percussion and warm, rounded bass tones that give the track its strut, while Okenyo’s vocal performance shifts between a cool, half-rapped verse delivery and a soaring, open-throated hook. It’s a song built for empowerment playlists, but what makes it stick is the storytelling — she’s not just declaring self-worth, she’s narrating the process of getting there. In the car with the windows down, this one hits differently; the low end just wants room to move.
Mirage
The title track from her Mirage era finds Okenyo working in a more atmospheric register, trading some of her earlier percussive punch for hazier, reverb-soaked textures. It’s a mood piece as much as a song, and that’s precisely the point — the arrangement drifts rather than drives, mirroring the disorienting, dreamlike theme suggested by the title. Her vocal restraint here is worth noting too; instead of belting, she lets the melody hover just above a whisper in places, which makes the moments she does open up feel earned.
WOMAN’S WORLD
This is arguably Okenyo’s signature moment. “Woman’s World,” from her 2018 EP The Wave, was nominated for Best Song at the FBi Radio Awards in 2017 and went on to soundtrack the Women’s National Basketball League campaign and a US Apple Instagram promotion — real proof that the song’s message traveled well beyond the Australian scene it was born in. Critics at Noisey drew comparisons to Erykah Badu and Janelle Monáe, and honestly, that lineage tracks: there’s the same self-aware, unapologetic energy running through the lyrics, calling out gender and sexual stereotypes without ever losing the groove. The production is deceptively simple, built around a chunky bassline and a chant-like hook, which is exactly why it works so well live.
WOMAN’S WORLD 2.0 (feat. Miss Blanks & Jesswar)
Released on December 1, 2017, this remix brings Miss Blanks and Jesswar into the fold and transforms the original into something even more combustible. Each artist gets real room to shine — Jesswar’s bars add bite, Miss Blanks brings her signature bravado, and Okenyo’s hook ties the whole thing together as the emotional and melodic anchor. The song was featured in VicHealth’s “This Girl Can” television campaign, which says a lot about its crossover appeal beyond the music itself. It’s a masterclass in how a remix should function: not a retread, but a genuine expansion of the original’s world.
UTOPIA
“Utopia” leans into lush, textured production, layering warm synth pads under Okenyo’s vocal melodies to build something that feels aspirational without tipping into saccharine. The arrangement gives her space to explore a more melodic, less percussive side of her voice, and the bridge in particular showcases some genuinely gorgeous harmonic stacking. Thematically, it fits the idealistic promise of its title — a search for something better, sonically rendered as warmth and space.
COME THROUGH
There’s a looseness to “Come Through” that separates it from Okenyo’s more structured, hook-driven work. The groove sits back in the pocket, almost unhurried, letting the vocal phrasing do the work of pulling you in rather than relying on a big chorus moment. It’s the kind of track that rewards repeat listens — small production details, like subtle vocal ad-libs tucked into the mix, reveal themselves the second or third time through.
DEMONS
“Demons” digs into darker emotional territory, and the production follows suit with moodier chord voicings and a more restrained low end. Okenyo’s lyricism here trades some of her usual bravado for introspection, wrestling with self-doubt in a way that feels genuinely vulnerable rather than performative. It’s a reminder that her catalog isn’t just empowerment anthems — there’s real emotional range across her discography, and this track is one of the clearest examples of it.
ISO
Written and released in the isolation era, “ISO” captures a very specific moment — the strange, suspended feeling of being cut off from the world — without ever becoming a novelty pandemic song. The production is sparser than a lot of her other work, giving the vocal performance nowhere to hide, which suits the introspective lyrical content perfectly. It’s an underrated entry in her catalog precisely because it doesn’t try to be a big single; it just sits in its own quiet, honest space.
20/20
“20/20” plays with the idea of clarity and hindsight, and the production mirrors that theme with a crisper, more polished mix than some of her earlier, grittier work. The hook is immediate, built for repeat plays, while the verses carry more of the lyrical weight. It’s a good example of Okenyo tightening her pop instincts without sacrificing the soulful core of her sound.
HANG YOUR HAT
This track leans into a warmer, more settled groove — the title itself suggests comfort and belonging, and the arrangement backs that up with rounded bass tones and a relaxed tempo. Okenyo’s vocal delivery here is conversational, almost intimate, like she’s singing directly to one person rather than a room. It’s a strong late-playlist choice, the kind of song that brings the energy down without losing momentum.
Buckle Up
Released in 2019, “Buckle Up” is a more relaxed, introspective cut that explores love and heartbreak with a lighter production touch than her earlier singles. The arrangement gives her vocal more room to breathe, favoring restraint over big dynamic swings, which lets the lyrical content — the messy, uncertain feeling of bracing for what’s coming in a relationship — really land. It’s a good showcase of her range as a songwriter, proving she doesn’t need a big hook to hold your attention.
Eyes to the Sky
Also from 2019, “Eyes to the Sky” is the more vibrant, energizing counterpart to “Buckle Up,” and it highlights just how wide Okenyo’s vocal range really is. The production is brighter and more percussive, built to lift rather than settle, and there’s a real sense of momentum running through the arrangement. On headphones you can pick up the layered backing vocals stacked underneath the main melody — a nice touch that adds texture without cluttering the mix.
Anthropology
“Anthropology” is one of the more conceptually ambitious titles in Okenyo’s catalog, and the song lives up to it, using observational, almost documentary-style lyricism to examine human behavior and connection. The production supports that intellectual angle with layered, almost cinematic instrumentation that unfolds gradually rather than front-loading the hook. It’s a grower, not a shouter — the kind of track that clicks on maybe the third listen.
Solo
As the title suggests, “Solo” strips things back, foregrounding Okenyo’s voice against a comparatively minimal arrangement. That space is the whole point: without a dense mix to lean on, every vocal inflection and lyrical choice carries extra weight. It’s a quietly confident song about standing on your own, and the production trusts the listener enough not to over-explain the theme.
Houston
“Houston” brings in a slightly different sonic palette, with warmer, more soulful chord changes that hint at classic R&B influences filtered through Okenyo’s contemporary production sensibility. The storytelling feels specific and place-rooted, grounding the emotional content in a real setting rather than abstraction. It’s a good example of how she uses geography and specificity as songwriting tools.
Your Side
“Your Side” is built around a plaintive, melodic hook that leans into vulnerability, with Okenyo’s vocal performance favoring emotional clarity over vocal runs or ornamentation. The mix keeps the arrangement relatively uncluttered, which puts the focus squarely on the lyrical perspective — a plea for understanding, delivered with real sincerity. It’s one of the more emotionally direct entries on this list.
Act Now
Closing out the deeper cuts, “Act Now” carries an urgency in both its title and its production, built around a driving rhythm section and a hook designed to prompt movement, literally and figuratively. Okenyo’s delivery is more assertive here, matching the call-to-action energy of the lyrics. It’s a strong closer for a live set, and you can hear why — there’s a built-in momentum that translates well to a stage.
Best Friend (feat. Doja Cat, JessB & OKENYO) [Remix]
This 2021 remix is one of Okenyo’s most high-profile collaborations, bringing her into the same track as Doja Cat and JessB on a lighthearted, uplifting anthem about female friendship. Her contribution adds a soulful counterpoint to the more pop-leaning elements of the production, and the vocal blend between all three artists is genuinely well balanced rather than feeling like a stitched-together feature. It’s a great entry point for listeners who know Doja Cat but haven’t yet explored Okenyo’s solo catalog — the chemistry here makes a strong case for going deeper.
Second Heartbeat (feat. Sampa the Great & OKENYO) – Urthboy
Featured on Urthboy’s 2016 album The Past Beats Inside Me Like a Second Heartbeat, this collaboration also received a notable Collarbones remix that reworks the original into something more electronic and textured. Okenyo and Sampa the Great trade vocal space beautifully, each bringing a distinct tone and cadence that keeps the track dynamic across its runtime. It’s a strong example of Okenyo’s versatility as a featured artist — she knows how to complement a track rather than overpower it, which is a genuinely underrated skill.
For readers who want to keep exploring artist deep-dives like this one, our full song reviews and greatest-hits archive has plenty more to dig into. And if you’re planning to give this catalog the close, headphones-on listen it deserves, it’s worth checking our headphones comparison guide before you commit to a pair — the layered vocal work on tracks like “Woman’s World 2.0” and “Second Heartbeat” really benefits from a clear, detailed sound signature. On the go, our earbuds comparison guide is a solid resource too, especially if you’re the type who queues this playlist up on a commute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Okenyo?
Okenyo is the stage name of Zindzi Okenyo, a Sydney-based Australian-Kenyan singer, actress, and television presenter known for blending neo-soul, R&B, and Afro-influenced percussion into her music, alongside a long-running acting and presenting career that includes Play School and several Australian TV drama series.
What is Okenyo’s most popular song?
“Woman’s World” is widely considered her signature track, having been nominated for Best Song at the FBi Radio Awards and featured in a Women’s National Basketball League campaign as well as a US Apple promotional spot.
What genre does Okenyo make music in?
Her sound is generally described as alternative R&B and neo-soul, drawing on 1990s soul influences alongside more contemporary electronic and hip-hop production textures.
Has Okenyo collaborated with other well-known artists?
Yes. She has featured on tracks with Doja Cat and JessB, Sampa the Great, Urthboy, L-FRESH The LION, Miss Blanks, Jesswar, and composer Benjamin Speed, among others.
Where can I listen to Okenyo’s full discography?
Her music is available on major streaming platforms, and her catalog spans releases from her 2013 debut single “Broken Chest” through recent collaborative features.