The Child (Inside)
"The Child (Inside)" is a song by South African trio Qkumba Zoo, released in August 1995 as their debut single. It shot straight to the top of the charts in South Africa, earning them the "Best New Band" award at the 1996 South African Music Awards. In 1996, it was a hit in the US, reaching number 69 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 and number-one on the "Billboard" Dance Club Songs chart. The track also peaked at number 34 on the "Radio & Records" contemporary hit radio charts on October 18, 1996. The 1996 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 has been used in several US television commercials, the most popular being from Seaworld parks and Carnival Cruise Lines. Critical reception. Larry Flick from "Billboard" wrote, "The Euro-NRG sound that has propelled dance music back into pop radio prominence has been in need of a little variation and development. This intriguing new act successfully accomplishes the task without tampering too much with the genre's tried-and-true formula. Typically bright and springy beats  underline a contagious melody that is executed with whooping tribal chants and quirky female vocals." Pan-European magazine "Music & Media" noted that South African trio QKumba Zoo "have already made more impression on the U.S. market with this single than any of their compatriots have since the heady days of Clout's Substitute. Signed to Arista by Clive Davis, their sound straddles the ethnic and CHR camps in persuasive style, landing somewhere between Johnny Clegg and current European synth pop, reflecting female lead singer Levannah's upbringing in the Zulu homeland of Natal." Music video. The music video for "The  Child (Inside)" was directed by Ruven Afanador.