Sibongiseni Shabalala

Last updated

Sibongiseni Shabalala
Birth nameSibongiseni Lucas Shabalala
Born (1972-05-20) 20 May 1972 (age 52)
Years active1993–present

Sibongiseni Lucas Shabalala (born 20 May 1972), is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, [1] a South African choral group founded in 1960 (formerly led) by his father Joseph.

Sibongiseni was born in Ladysmith (eMnambithi district) to Joseph and his wife Nellie, just shortly after the release of the group's first album Amabutho . In 1976, Joseph brought together his six sons to form Mshengu White Mambazo, Ladysmith's 'junior choir'.

After the murder of his uncle Headman Shabalala in December 1991 and the retirement of several other members (Inos Phungula, Geophrey Mdletshe and Ben Shabalala), Joseph later recruited Sibongiseni and his brothers Thamsanqa, Thulani and Msizi. Sibongiseni began singing with Mambazo as a bass voice and has remained in the line-up since 1993.

Together with his brother Thamsanqa and a well-known South African guitarist Maqhinga Radebe, Sibongiseni formed the maskandi-mbaqanga-isicathamiya crossover band Shabalala Rhythm in 1998, which has released successful releases to date including Ubuhle Bakho (2003) and Vuma (2005).

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ladysmith Black Mambazo</span> South African male acapella ensemble

Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a South African male choral group singing in the local vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They became known internationally after singing with American Paul Simon on his 1986 album Graceland. They have since won multiple awards, including five Grammy Awards the fifth of which they dedicated to the late former South African President Nelson Mandela.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isicathamiya</span> South African singing style

Isicathamiya is a singing style that originated from the Zulu people, a South African ethnic group. In European understanding, a cappella is also used to describe this form of singing.

Mshengu White Mambazo is a South African choral group consisting of the sons of Ladysmith Black Mambazo leader Joseph Shabalala, with his eldest son Nkosinathi leading the group. They sing in the traditional style of isicathamiya, like their parents in the above group. Formed in 1976 by Joseph and his late wife Nellie, the group came to local prominence in 1987, when they recorded a full album that October.

Bhekizizwe Joseph Shabalala was a South African singer and musician who was the founder and musical director of the choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

Thamsanqa Shabalala is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 by his father Joseph. He replaced Joseph as the group's lead singer after his father's retirement in 2015.

Thulani Shabalala is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 by his father Joseph.

Msizi Innocent Shabalala is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 by his father Joseph Shabalala.

Mdletshe Albert Mazibuko is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 by his cousin Joseph.

Ndoda Russel Mthembu is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 by close friend Joseph Shabalala.

Headman Msongelwa Shabalala was a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded by his brother Joseph.

<i>Amabutho</i> 1973 studio album by Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Amabutho is the first album by the South African isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. It was released in 1973 by Gallo Record Company. Amabutho was the first record by black musicians in the country to receive gold disc certification. It contains the hit single "Nomathemba". The LP was reissued on Gallo along with most of the group's early output, in February 2007. The members who sang on the Amabutho album were Milton Mazibuko, Ngali Mazibuko, Joseph Shabalala, Headman Shabalala, Enoch Shabalala, Albert Mazibuko and Walter Malinga

Nellie Shabalala was the wife of Ladysmith Black Mambazo (LBM) leader and founder, Joseph Shabalala, for over thirty years. She had formed her own allied group, Women of Mambazo, in the 1970s. The group were beginning to create a name for themselves after touring with LBM in the United Kingdom in 2001, but disbanded after Nellie Shabalala was shot and killed by a masked gunman, initially for unknown reasons, in May 2002.

<i>Umthombo Wamanzi</i> 1982 studio album by Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Umthombo Wamanzi is an album by the South African isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The album was recorded in May 1982, and released the next month. Whilst the group's previous output had been, for the most part, entirely composed by lead singer and founder Joseph Shabalala, Umthombo Wamanzi contained primarily traditional Zulu hymns re-arranged by Shabalala, such as "Uzube Nami Baba" and "Ungikhumbule". The members who sang in the Umthombo Wamanzi album were Abednego Mazibuko Jockey Shabalala Albert Mazibuko Jabulani Dubazana Headman Shabalala Fikile Groonwell Khumalo Russell Mthembu Joseph Shabalala.

<i>My Dream – African Sounds</i> 2008 studio album by Ladysmith Black Mambazo & SABC Choir

My Dream – African Sounds is a 2008 release by the South African groups Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the SABC Choir. It was released on 30 September 2008. The album is a collaboration of both isicathamiya and choral music.

Shabalala may refer to:

"Homeless" is a 1986 song by Paul Simon and Ladysmith Black Mambazo lead singer Joseph Shabalala.

<i>Always with Us</i> 2014 studio album by Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Always With Us is a 2014 album by the South African isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The album, released on 15 January 2014, is a tribute to the life of the group's matriarch Nellie Shabalala (1953-2002), the late wife of Mambazo leader Joseph Shabalala. It is also only the second album in the group's 50-year career to feature female Zulu vocalists singing alongside the male members.

<i>Two Worlds One Heart</i> 1990 studio album by Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Two Worlds One Heart is an album by the South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, released in 1990. The first single was "Township Jive", which the group had performed on the Graceland tour.

<i>Journey of Dreams</i> (album) 1988 studio album by Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Journey of Dreams is an album by the South African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, released in 1988. Journey of Dreams also served as the title of a film about frontman Joseph Shabalala, directed by David Lister and shot around the same time. Shabalala chose the title in part to describe his journey from his birthplace of Ladysmith to international success. It also refers to his desire to get the sound he heard in his dreams on to record. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Traditional Folk Recording". The group supported it with North American tour.

References

  1. Mojapelo, Max (18 March 2009). Beyond Memory: Recording the History, Moments and Memories of South African Music. African Minds. pp. 305–. ISBN   978-1-920299-28-6 . Retrieved 25 May 2011.