They are right up there with the best.
They've in fact earned the right to be called A-list artists, alongside talents such as Hugh Masekela, Charlize Theron, Zakes Bantwini and Black Coffee.
They have all won accolades that have seen their talents recognized on the global stage and this shall see their names live on forever in the collective memory of African talents that have shined the brightest.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo was one of the first local talents to go out into the world and secure a Grammy win. Since the group was formed in 1960, they have become a powerhouse of South African artistry with an unwavering potency about their work.
Some 60 odd years later and the band is back with a new album that is said to infused with the spirit of gospel music along with their iconic acapella musings.
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“This album was conceived after Covid-19. We wanted to create something to inspire hope and provide healing for the wounds of that time. People went through quite a bit and so that’s what we focused on doing,” says the group’s spokesperson Sibongiseni Shabalala.
The process of creating this album, Songs from the South African Church is similar to most of their work, “when we record, we do a lot of songs to get to the 10 we have arrived at. There are no features on it just, pure Mambazo.”
So far, the legendary band has graced some of the largest stages in the world and earned five Grammy Awards along with a string of nominations. They are still as humble as ever and winning is not the be all and end all for this group but rather a happy addition to creating the music they love.
“It would be great to win again but we never go out looking to do that, it’s just a nice bonus. For us it is more about giving our people hope and healing.”
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They have a high standard when it comes to their work and they take pride in it. Their fans have come to expect it and yet they still want to offer their supporters something a bit different every time they release a project.
“The main difference is that we are leaning on the sounds of gospel and belief in this album. It has a lot of that in terms of the themes, having faith and belief in a higher power, which we think is important for people to have so it’s a gospel album.”
They are pairing this with the ultimate show of the local tour they have been on for most of the year. It all comes to an end at a resounding celebration of their work at the SA State Theatre this weekend.
“The show at Joburg Theater, we need people to come through as it is going to be amazing. It forms part of our legacy tour which we have done this year, and it also involved the Ladysmith Black Mambazo mobile academy.
"We will have some of the acts that we found around the country through the legacy tour and academy, and we will have one of the acts we found in Cape Town with us on stage and we will do some songs together. It will be the last show of the tour and we will cover old classics that people love and some of our newer songs.”
In looking to further the legacy of the original founding members, they have also looked to raise new talent as they ascend, and this will continue to be a point of emphasis for the band in the years to come. With that in mind, they have been keeping a keen eye on the growing amapiano movement and how the world has responded to it.
“Music needs to move with the times, but it is also important not to lose sight of yourself. We are big believers in collaboration, we are where we are because of the collaboration with the great Paul Simon. So, we are fans of what is happening in terms of amapiano, and we wouldn’t shut off the possibility of doing something in that genre.”
Their latest offering Songs from the South African Church is available now and their performance at the SA State Theatre will take place on 15 December.
