The band was originally formed by Owl and Levannah as a duo called Ocean Road.
The booklet contained a colourful, busy design, featuring original artwork from Tziki, and pictures from Qcumba's stage shows.
The title track on BIG has slightly different music and vocals from its subsequent release on Wake Up & Dream, and "The Child (Inside)" has a fading outro.
Big – Mothership (4:15) Qkumba Zoo's international debut, Wake Up & Dream, was released on Arista Records in 1996.
Big Mothership (4:04) Their first single, "The Child (Inside)," produced by the Berman Brothers, hit No.
They were the first South African group to top the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart in over 17 years.
[8] The 1996 Arista release of "The Child (Inside)" featured several mixes by DJ Junior Vasquez that became the standard for the song in American clubs.
In recent years, the original mix of "The Child (Inside)" has been used in several US television commercials, the most popular being from Seaworld parks and Carnival Cruise Lines.
[9] The track "Weeping" was added to this release, the a cover of an anti-apartheid song by Bright Blue, another South African band.
Bonus tracks are also provided on this album, including a musical remix of "Mermaids" and two stories/poems narrated by Levannah.
[4] In August 1996, the group were the opening act for Danish singer Whigfield when she performed at the University of Port Elizabeth indoor sports centre.
[1] This was one of the catalysts that changed Owl and Levannah, 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 Records in favour of their own independent label, Zoocumba Music.
Wake Up & Dream (Album Snippets) – Weeping & Flesh and Blood & Big (4:40) The Child (Inside) Remixes – CD (1996) 1.
[1] Eventually, Owl resurfaced online and made it clear that he had not stopped making music, whether solo or paired with Levannah's voice.
In 2009, Qkumba Zoo released a new EP called N3X+, available for download on Rhythm Music Store's website.
Between Owl's solo work and N3X+, there is an apparent musical change from previous albums, which is now heading in the direction of traditional folk while continuing to integrate electronic/tribal sounds.
In late 2009, another official Qkumba Zoo site opened at Qkumbazoo.co.za, which contains a blog and other band info.
In July 2011, Qkumba Zoo released an album with Souvenir Records called Letthelightin.