Thandiswa Mazwai

Sister of Ntsiki Mazwai and since she burst into the public's consciousness as the lead vocalist and songwriter of award-winning group Bongo Maffin, Thandiswa Mazwai has been an indelible part of the South African cultural landscape. Her musical beginnings, however, were not quite as auspicious – her first attempt to get noticed occurred at the Shell Road to Fame talent show – in a move that must be puzzling the judges to this day, Thandiswa didn’t even make it to the semi-finals round. She did, however, catch the eye of musician and producer Don Laka, who arranged to include her in a project he was working on - Bongo Maffin's sophomore album. The band became known as one of the founding members of kwaito, and went on to release four more albums, becoming widely recognized as the voice of South Africa’s conscious youth. Their compositions consistently combined dance floor favourites with thought provoking lyrics. They were invited to perform all over the world, and shared the stage with musical icons such as Stevie Wonder, The Marley Clan, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Chaka Khan, Sean Paul, Steel Pulse and Skunk Anansie amongst others. Their contribution to the South African musical cannon earned Bongo Maffin numerous awards, amongst them South African Music Awards, the Kora All Africa Music Awards, and the Metro FM Music Awards. After almost eight years with Bongo Maffin, Thandiswa finally resolved to begin work on a solo project. The album, a work that elegantly fuses various musical genres, showcases her renowned artistic and musical capabilities, a talent which transcends borders and music genres.