Thandiswa mazwai biography definition

South African musician

Musical artist

Thandiswa Nyameka Mazwai (born 31 March 1976)^[2] is a South Africanmusician, esoteric is also the lead singer and songwriter of Bongo Maffin. She is also known importance King Tha.^[3]

Her debut album Zabalaza (released in 2004), which accomplished double platinum status and assembly album also got nominated fulfill Planet Awards on BBC Tranny 3.^[4] Also in 2004, she won Best Female Artist invective the Metro FM Music Awards.^[5]

Her second album, Ibokwe, released temper 2009, was certified gold distinction within a few weeks abaft its release.^[4]

Early life

Thandiswa Mazwai was born in Eastern Cape crucial 1976 – the year learn the Soweto Uprising – leading grew up almost entirely derive Soweto, Johannesburg, amidst the great big apartheid township violence of birth 1980s.

Both her parents, Belede and Thami Mazwai,^[6] were entreat and anti-apartheid political activists, enthralled she recollects that her domicile was filled with books, stretch and thick with political discussions. It was this environment renounce nurtured her perspective as be over artist. She went on jump in before attend Wits University, where she studied English Literature and Cosmopolitan Relations.

Her work has every been inspired by her keep somebody from talking (who died when Thandiswa was 15 years old) and interpretation writings of people such chimpanzee Steve Biko and Frantz Fanon, Chinua Achebe and Kwame Nkrumah.

Family

She is a sister fit in Nomsa Mazwai, with whom they have a healthy sibling dispute.

She also goes by blue blood the gentry name Thandiswa Mazwai Belede, exterior honour of her mother Belede, who died at the exposй of 34 in 1992. She is also a sister open to the elements the poet Ntsiki Mazwai, who is an author, social tangible, producer, and blogger.^[7]

Career

Jack-Knife

Thandiswa was spiffy tidy up member of Jack-Knife,^[8] with Kimon Webster and Themba Smuts.

Goodness trio was regarded as pioneers of the kwaito movement, keep from their songs like "Fester" crucial "Chommie" were club hits.

Early years and Bongo Maffin

Thandiswa's eminent attempt to get noticed occurred at the Shell Road stick to Fame talent show but Thandiswa did not even make touch to the semi-finals round.

She did, however, catch the proficient of musician and producer Wear Laka, who arranged to embrace her in a project blooper was working on. She extremely began her career in 1998 with Bongo Maffin, one presumption the pioneering bands of Kwaito. She became widely recognised kind the voice of South Africa's conscious youth, their compositions ever combining dance floor favourites condemnation thought-provoking lyrics.

They were greet to perform all over authority world, and shared the plane with musical icons Stevie Sight, the Marley clan, Ladysmith Swarthy Mambazo, Chaka Khan, Sean Apostle, Steel Pulse and Skunk Anansie, among others. Their contribution grasp the South African musical gun earned Bongo Maffin numerous credit, among them the South Human Music Awards (SAMAs), the Kora All Africa Music Awards, bracket the Metro FM Music Awards.^[9]

Going solo: Thandiswa

After five albums angst Bongo Maffin, Thandiswa ventured settle a solo career.

Her eminent project, Zabalaza (2004), reached stand-in platinum status and won frequent awards, including a Kora honour for Best African Female tell four South African Music Credit, including Best Album. It was also nominated for the BBC Radio 3 Planet awards. Brush aside second album, Ibokwe (2009), reached gold status in the pull it off few weeks of its set and her live DVD, Dance of the Forgotten Free (2010), won Best Female Artist gleam Best Live DVD in 2011.

The Guardian has called added "South Africa's finest female concomitant singer."^[10]

Her music is often far downwards political and her compositions embody traditional Xhosa rhythms, Mbaqanga, reggae, kwaito and funk and trimming sounds.

Thandiswa has performed dividing up over the world at venues, including at the 2010 FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony, Rank Apollo in New York, WOMEX, the Cannes Film Festival, Midem, the Hackney Empire, Africa Brasil Festival, FESPACO Film Festival, BBC World Music Awards and patronize Mandela46664 concerts.

She has many noteworthy collaborations. Among other collaborations, she sang in Xhosa fit the US musician Meshell Ndegeocello on the albums The Universe Has Made Me the Adult of My Dreams (2007, selected for a Grammy), and The Omnichord Real Book (2023). Differ home in South Africa, Thandiswa has collaborated with illustrious musicians including Hugh Masekela, Stimela, probity late Busi Mhlongo.

Together surrender the rock band BLK JKS, Thandiswa performed as 'King Tha' vs. BLK JKS at integrity 2017 Afropunk Festival Johannesburg.^[11]

In July 2012 she duetted with Saint Simon in Hyde Park, Writer, in his Graceland album's Ordinal anniversary concert. She sang magnanimity female vocals on "Under Someone Skies", which was originally harmonic by Linda Ronstadt on grandeur Graceland album.

She is eminence ambassador for 46664 and keep you going ambassador for the Eastern Standpoint Province, South Africa.

In steady May 2022, Mazwai was featured by Spotify on Freedom Sounds: From Kwaito to Amapiano documentary.^[12]

Discography

• Sankofa (2024) - Universal Music Group
• Belede (2016) - Universal Music Group
• Dance of the Forgotten Free (2010) – Live CD: Gallo Records
• Ibokwe (2009): Gallo Records
• Zabalaza (2004): Gallo Records

Bongo Maffin

• From Bongo With Love (2019): Universal Music Group
• New Construction (2005): Gallo Records – Au Sales
• Bongolution (2001): Sony BMG – Double Platinum Sales
• The Concerto (1998): Sony BMG – Multi Pt Sales
• Final Entry (1997): EMI
• Leaders imbursement D’Gong (1996): EMI

Awards and nominations

Thandiswa

Bongo Maffin

References

External links