More Than Their Family Tree: The Womack Sisters on Sisterhood, Roots, and Finding Their Sound

When people first hear the name Womack Sisters, they instinctively reach for the family tree – granddaughters of Sam Cooke, nieces of Bobby Womack, daughters of the husband‑wife duo The House of Zekkariyas. It’s a lineage that drips with soul, and it’s hard not to be awed by that kind of pedigree.

But sitting down with Zeimani, BG, and Kucha in a cramped Baltimore hotel room before their show with LA SOM and Thee Sacred Souls, the buzz about ancestors quickly gave way to something far more intimate. “We’re really close sisters,” BG laughed, pulling the youngest Womack – a bright‑eyed toddler darting across the carpet – into the frame. “Think of us as family, not just a name.”

Their childhood wasn’t the textbook kind with school bells and playgrounds. From London to Kenya to Thailand, the trio was basically on a never‑ending road‑trip, riding shotgun as backup singers for their parents. “Our mom and dad took a tutor with us,” Zeimani recalled, smiling at the memory of a suitcase‑sized blackboard. “We were together all the time – built‑in friendship, you could say.”

When the parents finally put down roots in South Africa, the sisters made the leap to the United States. The transition was anything but glamorous. “We worked in restaurants, drove for Uber, babysat, did elder‑care – you name it,” Zeimani said, shrugging. “It was the first time we had to figure out what we wanted, without the safety net of a famous family.”

Music kept calling, though. After a string of rejections from labels that wanted something more “marketable,” the trio went DIY. In 2017 they self‑released their debut single “Darling.” “That song was our compass,” Kucha explained. “Our voices grew stronger, and we realized we didn’t need anyone’s permission to follow that direction.”

Their 2022 EP “Legacy” flirted with contemporary R‑B, yet the sisters felt an inexorable pull toward the gospel‑soul their grandfather embodied. “We love everything – country, jazz, hip‑hop – but we want an authentic version of soul,” BG said. “It’s about picking up where the Womack Brothers left off, but translating it for today’s generation.”

Enter Daptone Records, a label that feels less like a contract and more like a reunion. “When we met Bosco Mann and the crew, they were already talking horns and live bands,” Kucha noted. “It was like walking into a room that already spoke our language.”

The sisters recorded their self‑titled album live, straight to tape, with a full backing band – a rarity in an era dominated by click‑track perfection. “We rehearsed for months, so the session was quick,” Zeimani said. “No AI, no overdubs – just real people making real music together.” The result, they argue, bridges past and future: raw instrumentation that feels timeless, yet unmistakably modern.

Artists like Olivia Dean and Baby Rose are joining this movement toward authenticity, and the Womack Sisters are proud to be part of it. “It’s about keeping that human connection alive,” BG added. “When you hear a trumpet swell or a vocal harmony, you hear a story, not just a product.”

Looking ahead, the trio is excited to keep touring, keep recording live, and keep reminding listeners that behind every great song is a family – both by blood and by choice – that’s been there from the first note to the final bow.