Zwai Bala
Zwai Bala | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mzwandile Bala 15 February 1975 Uitenhage, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Genres | Kwaito, Gospel |
| Occupations | Rapper, singer, actor |
| Years active | 1997–present |
| Member of | |
Mzwandile Bala (known by his stage name Zwai Bala; born 15 February 1975) is a South African kwaito and gospel musician.[1][2][3][4]
Education
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.[5] He came to public attention in 1997 as a member of the kwaito group TKZee.[6]
Career
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 'Magesh' Tshabalala, he formed kwaito group TKZee. TKZee released their singles "Take It Eezy", holiday hit "Phalafala" and their top-selling "Shibobo",[7] 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,[8] produced Grace from the two-time Grammy award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir,[9] and has been the featured soloist at the Classical FM–Lexus Soiree at the Sandton Intercontinental.
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.[10]
Songs
Bala's recorded music include:
- Ndize
- Umlilo-Masibase
- All I Do
- Black 'N Proud
- Ndiredi
- Moody's Mood For Love
- Nozamile
- Vuk'uzenzele
- Play That Music
- Kuyasa
- Ikhaya
- Bash'abafana
- Tino Tino
- Folkfanse-My Heritage
- Hand Prints
- Circle of Life
- Solo
- Soccer
- Gux Duo
- Niceland-Guguletu
- Everyone Can Drum
- Noble Peace
- Noyana
Television
His television appearances include:[6]
- All You Need Is Love – Season 2 – Host
- Clash of the Choirs South Africa – Season 1 – Choir Master
- Clash of the Choirs South Africa – Season 3 – Guest Judge
- Popstars – Season 2, 3 and 4 – Judge
- Pump Up The Volume – Season 1 – Judge
- Red Cake – Not the Cooking Show – Season 1 – Houseband leader
Awards
In 2002 he received a South African Music Award (SAMA) for his single "Lifted"[5] and in 2019 he, along with fellow TKZee members Kabelo Mabalane and Tokollo Tshabalala, received a SAMA award for Lifetime Achievement.[11]
References
- ↑ Digital, Drum. "Zwai Bala gets backlash for Malema comment". News24.
- ↑ Hlongwane, Sefiso (6 April 2016). "Twitter thrashes Zwai Bala over Malema comments". TimesLIVE.
- ↑ Komana, Itumeleng. "Zwai Bala on the nostalgia of TKZee and celebrating heritage every day". News24.
- ↑ Matlala, Kea. "'We perform because there's a demand for it' - Zwai Bala on no retirement in sight for TKZee". News24.
- 1 2 James, Kamoche (10 April 2018). "Zwai Bala Biography".
- 1 2 "Zwai Bala | TVSA". www.tvsa.co.za.
- ↑ "SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC". www.music.org.za.
- ↑ "Ali Campbell – The Legendary Voice Of UB40 Reunited with Astro & Mickey release new album "Silhouette" ahead of Australian tour in December". Cooking Vinyl. Archived from the original on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ↑ "Grace – The Soweto Gospel Choir | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
- ↑ "Strictly Come Dancing South Africa – Episode 1". Timely Passion.
- ↑ "TKZee's journey to being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award". KAYA FM. 4 June 2019.