Zolani Mahola
Mahola performing in Cape Town in 2019
Mahola performing in Cape Town in 2019
Background information
Birth nameZolani Mahola
Also known asThe One Who Sings
Born (1981-07-19) 19 July 1981[1]
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
OriginCape Town, South Africa
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer-songwriter
  • actress
Instrument(s)
  • Voice
  • guitar
Years active2002–present
LabelsPlatoon
Websitewww.theonewhosings.com

Zolani Mahola (born 19 July 1981) is a South African singer, actress, storyteller and world-renowned inspiration speaker, now also known under the stage name The One Who Sings.[2] She is most famously known as lead singer of the internationally-acclaimed pan-African South African music group Freshlyground since 2002. On 15 August 2019, Mahola officially announced the launch of her solo career while the Freshlyground band went on to have their last performance after 17 successful years together on 31 December 2019 at Kirstenbosch Gardens in Cape Town.[3]

Biography

Mahola was born and raised in the city of Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa. She attended Trinity High School (which later amalgamated into St Dominic's Priory School).

In her final year at high school, she worked as receptionist at Makro during weekends and school holidays. She grew up on Ntshekisa Street, a long and busy street in New Brighton, a township on the outskirts of Port Elizabeth. She stayed with her dad and younger sister between 1999 and 2001.[4] In 2011, Zolani and Freshlyground gave a free concert on Ntshekisa Street as part of their 10th birthday tour.[5]

While studying a Theatre and Performance degree at the University of Cape Town,[6] she was cast in the lead role in the television drama Tsha-Tsha, which aired on SABC 1.[7] Mahola voiced the character of Zoë in the animated feature film Zambezia (2012), and also recorded the song "Get Up" for the original motion picture soundtrack.[8]

Music career

Freshlyground (2002–2019)

Mahola and six other musicians formed Freshlyground in Cape Town in 2002.[9]

After Freshlyground published their second album, Nomvula, in 2004, The Sunday Times described Mahola as one of South Africa's best and most inspiring young singers.[10]

She traveled to Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria with English pop singer Robbie Williams in 2006, with Freshlyground performing as Williams' supporting act.[11] The band supported B.B King as the opening act of his late 2000's (year disputed) performance at the Zenith Paris. They also performed at Radio City Music Hall at the 2009 46664 concert alongside Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Cyndi Lauper, Jesse Clegg, the Soweto Gospel Choir and MC'ed by Whoopi Goldberg.

At the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Mahola, with Freshlyground and Shakira, performed "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" in the opening and closing ceremonies. "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" was the official song of FIFA World Cup in 2010.[12]

At the Glamour Women of the Year Awards 2011, held on 25 July in Johannesburg, Mahola was among eight women honoured by the South African division of Glamour. Glamour declared both her and her bandmate Kyla-Rose Smith "The Icons" of South African women in 2011.[13] Mahola opened up in 2018 about starting a Solo project that would be independent of Labels and major sponsors[14]

Solo career (2019–present)

On 15 August 2019, Mahola officially announced the launch of her solo career as a musician, storyteller and transformational speaker. [15]

In November 2019, Mahola wrote and starred in a one woman play based on her life entitled "The One Who Sings" at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town. In 2020 she garnered a coveted Fleur Du Cap award as Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in the play.

In January 2020, Mahola performed at Kirstenbosch Gardens with multiple Grammy Award-winning cellist Yo Yo Ma. The two collaborated with various Capetonian musicians including legendary Xhosa musician and South African "national treasure" Madosini on a song performed at the United Nations in mid 2020 called "Amphibious Soul" in collaboration with the Sea Change Project (creators of My Octopus Teacher) of which Mahola is an ambassador.

Mahola released her first fully fledged solo single on the 27th of November 2020 entitled "Remember Who You Are" ahead of her planned 2021 release of her first solo album. She released the song as part of her ambassadorship of the Give Her A Crown campaign, a female empowerment platform using storytelling to affect the Gender Based Violence pandemic in South Africa.

In October 2021, her single "Wawundithembisile" featuring Sun-El Musician was released. Her upcoming debut studio album Theta Mama which is scheduled to be released later in 2021.[16]

Discography

  • Theta Mama (TBA)

References

  1. ↑ Thompson, Sharon (15 May 2007). "Zolani Mahola: the face of fresh". Eastern Cape Madiba Action. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  2. ↑ Thangevelo, Debashine (15 October 2021). "Zolani Mahola breaks fresh ground as 'The One Who Sings'". Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  3. ↑ Wagner, Loenie (25 August 2019). "Going solo: Zolani Mahola on quitting Freshlyground, and finding her voice". Sunday Times. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  4. ↑ Snaparazzi Gallery Archived 20 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ Freshlyground. "Freshlyground South Africa 2011 Gig Guide". Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  6. ↑ "Zolani Mahola | TVSA". www.tvsa.co.za. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  7. ↑ "Zolani Mahola | TVSA". www.tvsa.co.za. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  8. ↑ Zambezia (2011) |a National Film and Video Foundation Archived 20 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ↑ Germany, Süddeutsche de GmbH, Munich. "News & Schlagzeilen auf Süddeutsche.de". Süddeutsche.de. Retrieved 8 January 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ↑ Zolani Mahola of Freshlyground – Times LIVE
  11. ↑ "E-Paper – Aboangebote – Der Tagesspiegel". www.tagesspiegel.de. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  12. ↑ FIFA.com (5 May 2010). "Shakira and Freshlyground sing Official FIFA World Cup™ song". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 7 May 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  13. ↑ Groger, Jill (28 July 2011). "Glamour women". The New Age. TNA Media. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
  14. ↑ "I've finally decided to start my 1st solo project – Zolani Mahola, Freshlyground". 702. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  15. ↑ Berry, Orielle. "Freshlyground's Zolani Mahola goes solo". Independent Online. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  16. ↑ Seemela, Masego. "The One Who Sings releases album on solo journey". Sowetan LIVE. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
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