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Zwai Bala | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Mzwandile Bala |
| Born | 15 February 1975 Uitenhage, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Genres | Kwaito, Gospel |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, singer, actor |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Member of | |
Zwai Bala (born 15 February 1975) is a South African kwaito and gospel musician.
Bala studied at the Drakensberg Boys' Choir School, near Winterton, KwaZulu-Natal, and matriculated at St Stithians College in 1994. He then pursued an online Master's Certificate in Orchestration for Film and Television at Berklee College of Music in Boston. [1] He came to public attention in 1997 as a member of the kwaito group TKZee. [2]
When he was 11 years old, he entered The Shell Road to Fame talent show and reached the semi-finals. Together with school friends Kabelo Mabalane and Tokollo Tshabalala, he formed kwaito group TKZee. TKZee released their singles "Take It Eezy", holiday hit "Phalafala" and their top-selling "Shibobo", [3] which featured South Africa national football team player Benni McCarthy. Later, Bala began a solo musical career.
As a music director and producer, Bala has worked on musicals featuring Ali Campbell of UB40, [4] produced Grace from the two-time Grammy award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir, [5] and has been the featured soloist at the Classical FM–Lexus Soiree at the Sandton Intercontinental.[ citation needed ]
He was a celebrity contestant on the first season of the SABC 2 reality competition Strictly Come Dancing in 2006, partnered with professional ballroom dancer Kego Motshabi. The pair finished third. [6]
Bala's recorded music include:
His television appearances include: [2]
In 2002 he received a South African Music Award (SAMA) for his single "Lifted" [1] and in 2019 he, along with fellow TKZee members Kabelo Mabalane and Tokollo Tshabalala, received a SAMA award for Lifetime Achievement. [7]