M ulti-award-winning Tsonga disco singer Welcome “Pensele” Ubisi has made a name for himself through his efforts to preserve traditional music and keep his roots alive.
The Mali Malini hitmaker from Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga is also the founder of Bala-Pensele Records.
Pensele’s talent came into the spotlight as a keyboard player.
After that he, together with his friends, formed a group called Supreme Musical that went on to gain them popularity around their neighbourhood in the late 1980s.
They shared the stage with the likes of late Lazarus Kgagudi and Peta Teanet. Then he joined multi-award winning Tsonga disco singer Dr General Muzka, where both were members of the disbanded Thulamahashe Soul Lovers.
Since then, Pensele has never looked back. His hard work and love of music gained him the top spot in the Tsonga music scene, which saw him bagging two accolades from the Xitsonga Music Awards by Munghana Lonene FM.
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He was recently honoured twice – by the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality and the Bushbuckridge Talent Competition.
Pensele further solidified his name by touring abroad as well as in most of Mzansi’s neighbouring countries, including Botswana, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
“As a young boy, I was active in arts and culture programmes.
“I would command attention when performing and imitating late Tsonga disco king Paul Ndlovu, Peta and Chicco Twala in concerts that were organised at school,” he said.
“These were just some of the artists who inspired me to feed Tsonga music lovers with music. And today, I am who I am because of them,” he said. Pensele also recorded a duet album with Afro-pop icon Jeff Maluleke. So far, he has produced music for most well-known musicians as well as up-and-coming artists in and outside South Africa.
He also took part in recording the ANC election campaign album in the build-up to 2009’s general elections.
He worked closely with jazz guru Don Laka, the people’s poet Mzwakhe Mbuli and Jeff and many other many artists.
Pensele’s Afro-pop album, his singles 50/50 and Another Level have received positive feedback from his fans, and he is grateful.
