WeeklySA_AdminREPERTOIRE: A rare appearance by the talented group at Joburg Theatre expected to draw multitudes…
By Robert Tlapu
The Soweto Spiritual Singers are geared for a much-anticipated show in Johannesburg over the weekend, billed as their first-ever homecoming appearance following their international success.
The world-renowned outfit was founded back in 2007 by the multi-talented Vilakazi siblings, Nkululeko and Vicky, at their Dlamini 1 home in Soweto. Born in a musical home and growing up in a church background, the duo developed the love for music from family groups which sang to their father’s crusades.
“Our musical influence is derived mostly from a highly musical family and church background, as our parents were both pastors. We have always been surrounded by church people and young people who stayed at our home and were singing hymns,” Nkululeko told WSAM.
Nkululeko studied for a music qualification in the early 90’s at the Eastside College. Then, upon completion, he later joined Joyous Celebration as a singer for a short stint. He then found his passion in music business and also from working behind the scenes. Together with his siblings, Vicky and Gift, co-founded the Soweto Gospel Choir, where he became the first Musical Director of the group, a keyboard player and producer of the group’s Grammy Award-winning album.
“We have been in the forefront of the formation of groups like Family Factory, Joyous Celebration and Soweto Gospel Choir. We got our first international break in 2009 as Soweto Spiritual Singers when Vicky met Netherlands promoters and pitched an idea of a choir, and as they say the rest is history,” said Nkululeko.
Since most people seem not able to differentiate the two groups, Soweto Spiritual Singers and Soweto Gospel Choir, Nkululeko assured WSAM that the two groups are very distinct and don different outfits.
“Our show is broader in repertoire approach, we are a ‘spiritual’, and not confined to just gospel. We sing a wide variety of repertoire from all traditional and spiritual persuasion South Africa has, and our detailed world music approach is accompanied with exhilarating dance, towering with joy”.
Classified as ‘World Music’ group, this spectacular 22-member vocal and band ensemble group, accompanied by dancers and a 5 piece band, showcase the diverse ‘Spiritual Sounds of Africa’ through soulful harmonies, and a explosion of colours, dance, drums, evocative melodies and so much more. “The choir was formed to celebrate our ‘unity in diversity’ as a nation,” said co-founder Vicky. She continued that they wanted to present diversity in cultures and traditions in their performances around the world. Through their 16 years of existence as Soweto Spiritual Singers, they have performed and showcased their talent at theatres across the globe, selling out shows in Europe, the United Kingdom and across the African continent.
The choir’s notable achievements include winning an award at the Crown Gospel Awards as the Best Group in 2011. The SAMA and Kenya Music Awards nomination as the Best Group in both awards.The group has recorded two albums titled Open Heaven and another self-titled Soweto Spiritual Singers, which was recorded and released internationally.
The group’s career highlights include performing the song ‘Something Inside So Strong’ a duet with Lira at the late President Nelson Mandela’s 91st birthday; performance at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth games held in Glasgow, as well as recording on the soundtrack for the Broadway & Disney production movie of the Lion King with Lebo M, as well as more recently on The Woman King soundtrack.
When South Africa hosted the Soccer World Cup in 2010, the Soweto Spiritual Singers were one of the acts selected to perform at the opening ceremony, to welcome the world and to showcase what this country had to offer. Their song ‘Sign of a Victory’, featuring R. Kelly, is the opening track of the official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album.
“We felt that it was time to perform at home and to bring the magic of our show to South Africa”, adds Nonkulelo.
The Soweto Spiritual Singers will performance at the Joburg theatre on Friday and Saturday night at 7pm and on Sunday afternoon at 3pm. Tickets range from R250 to R400 and are available for sale through WEBTICKETS: Visit their website: www.vilentertainment.com
MOM BATTLES INTERNAL STORM
UNTRACED: Rise Above the Storm is based on a true story of the author, who is still hoping that one day she will find her son or his body…
By Thuli Zungu
On December 10 2020, 59-year-old Brenda Ngonyama’s son Prince (30) disappeared without trace. Her family searched for him everywhere, including at abandoned buildings, under the bridges and eventually the morgues – without luck.
Before disappearing, he had become a statistic like many people who were retrenched when businesses took a serious downturn following the global Covid 19 pandemic.
He had his own apartment, but, like anyone, had to return home to reboot as his mother was staying all by herself. During this time, he would go to the library, read one book after the other, and go to the gym as he and his mother were gym fanatics.
But, with time, depression set in, and his behaviour changed to a worrisome degree, leaving Brenda frustrated as she could not persuade him to go to the doctor or clinic to seek help.
He contemplated committing suicide, but Brenda’s instinct told her to check his room and, to her dismay, she found a knife under his pillow and took it without asking him about it. This confused Prince who later started talking to himself and this got worse with time, Brenda says.
Since the pandemic Brenda reported to work at 9am and knocked off at 3pm. On December 10 2020, she found him gone when she arrived home.
This was the first time he had gone without saying where he would be going, but there were tell-tale signs that something was not right. He had not washed his dish after eating his cereal. A cereal bowl, cups and empty container were thrown next to the bin.
Trying to call him was futile as he had left his cellphone in their bathroom. She laments at the horrible treatment she received from the police when she tried to report a case of a missing person.
Even the security at their boom gate could not help her view the footage showing what her son was wearing on the day he disappeared.
Soon thereafter, she started keeping a diary of her experience, the people she spoke to and the emotions she was going through. They had planned to go to Swaziland for Christmas vacation, but they had to cancel as they were still hoping to find Prince.
Then, tragedy struck again – her mother died due to Covid, and, while away to bury her, the police called asking her to come and identify a body they had of a man who died during the month of her son’s disappearance. She was taken to the Germiston mortuary.
She could not believe his ears as the officer told him Prince’s body was found, but it turned out it was not his. DNA tests done to several bodies did not match, she says. Though she went to gym every morning, her health deteriorated with her high blood pressure hitting highs of 199/98, and almost suffered from a stroke, the clinic nurse told her.
The gym was the only thing that kept her putting one foot in front of the other as she questioned her life without her son. And her answer was to “rise above the storm” – like an eagle.
This book is Ngonyama’s clarion call to anyone who is missing a loved one, experiencing a challenging time or losing hope. It provides the insight to finding inner strength for self-counselling and taking charge of your life – as she did.
*The book is available via Take-a-Lot for R250
Published on the 92nd Edition.
