“Makeba” is Jain’s homage to South African singer and civil rights activist Miriam Makeba, an advocate against the apartheid in the country and a symbol of Africa’s musical influence.

Jain’s admiration for Makeba, and her choice to pursue a musical career, were encouraged by her multicultural upbringing, having moved to live in Congo and other parts of the world with her family at a very young age.

Growing up, Jain experienced closely the influence of Miriam Makeba in the African continent, seeing her as a role model. She mentions “Pata Pata” as the first song of hers she ever heard. However, when moving back to France years later, Jain noticed that none of her friends knew about Makeba and her legacy, so she decided to write a song dedicated to the South African star to drive newer generations to learn more about her.

The French singer’s debut album, Zanaka, was heavily inspired by musical styles from Africa, notably “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 that earned her her first GRAMMY nomination at the 60th annual award ceremony.

In June 2023, thanks to TikTok, “Makeba” soared in popularity after becoming viral and garnering millions of views on the video-sharing platform.