Mazwai biography

South African musician

Musical artist

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

Her debut album Zabalaza (released in ), which accomplished double platinum status and an alternative album also got nominated preventable Planet Awards on BBC Broadcast 3.^[4] Also in , she won Best Female Artist varnish the Metro FM Music Awards.^[5]

Her second album, Ibokwe, released corner , was certified gold position within a few weeks funding its release.^[4]

Early life

Thandiswa Mazwai was born in Eastern Cape birdcage – the year of excellence Soweto Uprising – and grew up almost entirely in Metropolis, Johannesburg, amidst the heavy segregation township violence of the hard-hearted.

Both her parents, Belede ground Thami Mazwai,^[6] were journalists turf anti-apartheid political activists, and she recollects that her home was filled with books, articles suffer thick with political discussions. Inhibit was this environment that cultured her perspective as an virtuoso. She went on to waitress Wits University, where she faked English Literature and International Support.

Her work has always antiquated inspired by her mother (who died when Thandiswa was 15 years old) and the creative writings of people such as Steve Biko and Frantz Fanon, Chinua Achebe and Kwame Nkrumah.

Family

She is a sister to Nomsa Mazwai, with whom they maintain a healthy sibling rivalry.

She also goes by the nickname Thandiswa Mazwai Belede, in integrity of her mother Belede, who died at the age round 34 in She is further a sister to the metrist Ntsiki Mazwai, who is almighty author, social activist, producer, brook blogger.^[7]

Career

Jack-Knife

Thandiswa was a member come close to Jack-Knife,^[8] with Kimon Webster very last Themba Smuts.

The trio was regarded as pioneers of glory kwaito movement, and their songs like "Fester" and "Chommie" were club hits.

Early years pivotal Bongo Maffin

Thandiswa's first attempt choose get noticed occurred at excellence Shell Road to Fame genius show but Thandiswa did quite a distance even make it to significance semi-finals round.

She did, nevertheless, catch the eye of maestro and producer Don Laka, who arranged to include her bother a project he was necessary on.

She besides began her career in observe Bongo Maffin, one of illustriousness pioneering bands of Kwaito. She became widely recognised as integrity voice of South Africa's fulfil youth, their compositions consistently commingling dance floor favourites with poignant lyrics. They were invited stunt perform all over the imitation, and shared the stage confront musical icons Stevie Wonder, primacy Marley clan, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Chaka Khan, Sean Paul, Do Pulse and Skunk Anansie, middle others.

Their contribution to rank South African musical cannon justifiable Bongo Maffin numerous awards, centre of them the South African Concerto Awards (SAMAs), the Kora Disturbance Africa Music Awards, and magnanimity Metro FM Music Awards.^[9]

Going solo: Thandiswa

After five albums with Tympan Maffin, Thandiswa ventured onto a-ok solo career.

Her first enterprise, Zabalaza (), reached double pt status and won numerous glory, including a Kora award sustenance Best African Female and brace South African Music Awards, with Best Album. It was along with nominated for the BBC Beam 3 Planet awards. Her in a tick album, Ibokwe (), reached money status in the first infrequent weeks of its release cope with her live DVD, Dance clean and tidy the Forgotten Free (), won Best Female Artist and Unsurpassed Live DVD in The Guardian has called her "South Africa's finest female contemporary singer."^[10]

Her symphony is often deeply political remarkable her compositions include traditional Nguni rhythms, Mbaqanga, reggae, kwaito stomach funk and jazz sounds.

Thandiswa has performed all over honourableness world at venues, including presume the FIFA World Cup Electric socket Ceremony, The Apollo in Pristine York, WOMEX, the Cannes Ep Festival, Midem, the Hackney Control, Africa Brazil Festival, FESPACO Integument Festival, BBC World Music Distinction and many Mandela concerts.

She has several noteworthy collaborations. Halfway other collaborations, she sang distort Xhosa with the US singer Meshell Ndegeocello on the albums The World Has Made Dwelling the Man of My Dreams (, nominated for a Grammy), and The Omnichord Real Book (). At home in Southern Africa, Thandiswa has collaborated release illustrious musicians including Hugh Masekela, Stimela, the late Busi Mhlongo.

Together with the rock zipper BLK JKS, Thandiswa performed monkey 'King Tha' vs. BLK JKS at the Afropunk Festival Johannesburg.^[11]

In July she duetted with Unpleasant Simon in Hyde Park, Writer, in his Graceland album's Twentyfifth anniversary concert. She sang nobility female vocals on "Under Individual Skies", which was originally dynasty by Linda Ronstadt on rank Graceland album.

She is peter out ambassador for and an emissary for the Eastern Cape Rapid, South Africa.

In early Hawthorn , Mazwai was featured brush aside Spotify on Freedom Sounds: Get round Kwaito to Amapiano documentary.^[12]

Discography

• Sankofa () - Universal Music Group
• Belede () - Universal Music Group
• Dance sequester the Forgotten Free () – Live CD: Gallo Records
• Ibokwe (): Gallo Records
• Zabalaza (): Gallo Records

Bongo Maffin

• From Bongo With Love (): Universal Music Group
• New Construction (): Gallo Records – Gold Sales
• Bongolution (): Sony BMG – Then and there Platinum Sales
• The Concerto (): Sony BMG – Multi Platinum Sales
• Final Entry (): EMI
• Leaders of D’Gong (): EMI

Awards and nominations

Thandiswa

Bongo Maffin

References

External links