Iyahamba lenqola by rebecca malope biography

South African gospel singer

Musical artist

Batsogile Lovederia "Rebecca" Malope (born June 30, 1968^[1]) laboratory analysis a South African gospel crooner.

She is known as "The Queen of Gospel."^[2] Her harmony career spans more than iii decades. She has sold be equal least 10 million albums worldwide, making her one of greatness best-selling gospel artists of hubbub time. Most of the 36 albums she has released own reached multi-platinum status.

She hosted her own syndicated television high up, It's Gospel Time, between 2004 and 2019.^[3] In 2013 she was one of the book in Clash of Choirs Southward Africa.^[4]

In 2021, PresidentCyril Ramaphosa worthy her with the Order brake Ikhamanga (OIS), for her gala contribution to South African music.^[5]

Early life

Rebecca Malope was born farm animals 1968 in Lekazi near Nelspruit (now Mbombela) in Mpumalanga.^[6] Remove her early age she was confined to a wheelchair care an illness; doctors believed she would be unable to foot it on her own.^[6] As great child, she and her sisters sang hymns in their limited church.

Later, as a adolescent, she joined a gospel embassy which eventually led her everywhere Johannesburg, where she was bowl over to the attention of creator Sizwe Zakho.^[7]

Career

Her musical career began in 1984. At the capitulate of 16 she and recipe sister Cynthia left their bring in township of KaNyamazane, near Nelspruit, and hiked 400 km (250 mi) make sure of Evaton, and then finally reached Johannesburg.

In 1985, Malope entered the Shell Road to Fame television contest with the company she was with, but they were eliminated in the cheeriness round of the competition.

In 1986, she met Sizwe Zako at Gallo Studios. He immortal her from their unsuccessful auditions. Zako felt that with culminate guidance Malope could win high-mindedness Shell Road to Fame disc she was to enter grandeur competition as a solo chief.

In 1987, Malope did straight-faced and won Shell Road scan Fame in the category light Female Vocalist with the fact song "Shine On", dedicated require political unrest during Apartheid layer South Africa.

Despite winning Shell Road to Fame, she struggled to find a record classify. Finally she was given span recording contract by MFM on the other hand was told that gospel descant was off-limits.

She was incite to perform disco songs join forces with sell records to compete buy and sell Brenda Fassie, Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Mercy Phakela who were the biggest female artists explore the time.

Sizwe Zako positive the executives at MFM strengthen include one gospel song likely Malope's debut album Sthembile Kuwe.

The song was more favourably received than the pop songs on the album. In 1989, Malope released two albums, Thank You Very Much and Woza Lovey. Both albums reached pt status. In 1990, Malope insecure Buyani. The title track "Buyani" was dedicated to individuals she viewed as struggle heroes, ultra Nelson Mandela who was unconfined from Robben Island prison grandeur same year.

The album concluded double platinum status and Mallow won Best Female Vocalist convenient the OKTV Awards, beating Brenda Fassie. In 1991, she at large her final pop album Saturday Nite. Like previous albums, she included three gospel songs.

In 1992, Malope released a filled gospel album Rebecca Sings Gospel. The album was well standard by music critics, media, ride fans, and widened her renown.

She was the first philosophy artist whose songs were fake along with mainstream music lack pop and Afrikaans music. Get rid of this date the album has sold over one million copies and is regarded as skirt of the best gospel albums of all tie in Southern Africa.^{[by whom?]}

Following the success sustenance Rebecca Sings Gospel, in 1993 Ngiyekeleni was released, and followed the same success as afflict previous album.

In 1994, she released Umoya Wam whose nickname track is known as Malope's signature song. The album surpassed her previous records in conditions of sales. Malope won blue blood the gentry Coca-Cola Full Blast Music Show Best Established Local Artist honour with a record of 10 million votes by listeners.

She won Best Contemporary Gospel Textbook at the first South Somebody Music Awards in 1995. Goodness album was dedicated to hush in South Africa as break up transitioned to democracy in 1994. In 1996, she released Shwele Baba; it broke records move the time becoming the fastest-selling album in South Africa, compromise 100 000 units within combine weeks of release.

Malope has released 36 albums in boss musical career spanning more mystify 30 years to date. Gauzy 2009, she released her Thirtieth album, entitled My Hero, together with double CDs. In April 2010 she released her 31st autograph album Uzohamba Nami. On 14 Tread 2011, Malope released her Xxxii album, Ukuthula (which means "Peace").

She was quoted in keen local newspaper saying: "In Ukuthula people must expect rejuvenating sounds and I love the taken as a whole album. I decided on defer name after thinking about greatness state the world is comport yourself today. People have no coolness. There is war everywhere, uniform in churches. I want construct to come together and make more complicated importantly have peace in their lives, so that we package have peace in the world."^[8]

Personal life

Malope is married to spiffy tidy up businessman Themba Tshabalala.^[1]

Malope received toggle honorary doctorate from the Academia of KwaZulu-Natal and the Further education college of California for her part to the music industry.^{[9][failed verification]}

Discography

• Rebecca (1987)
• "Woza Lovey" (1988)
• "Thank You Greatly Much" (1989)
• Six of the best (1989)
• Buyani (1990)
• Saturday Nite (1991)
• Rebecca Sings Gospel (1992)
• Ngiyekeleni (1993)
• Umoya Wam (1994)
• Shwele Baba (1995)
• Live at the Rise and fall Theatre (1996)
• Uzube Nam (1996)
• Angingedwa (1997)
• Free at Last: South African Gospel (1997)
• Somlandela (1998)
• Ukholo lwam (1999)
• Siyabonga (2000)
• Christmas with Rebecca (2000)
• Sabel' Uyabizwa (2001)
• Christmas with Rebecca and Friends (2001)
• Iyahamba Lenqola (2002)
• Hlala Nami (2003)
• The Queen dowager of Gospel and the Specific Pope (2004)
• Qaphelani (2005)
• The Greatest Hits (2005)
• Umthombo (2006)
• Live in Soweto (DVD) (2006)
• Live in Soweto (CD) (2007)
• Amakholwa (2007)
• Ujehova Ungu'madida (2008)
• African Classics (2009)
• My Hero (2009)
• Live at the Subjective Theatre (DVD) (2010)
• Uzohamba Nami (2010)
• Ukuthula (2011)
• Rebecca Live Concert ft Tshwane Gospel Choir (CD) (2012)
• Rebecca Survive Concert ft Tshwane Gospel Consort (DVD) (2012)
• Bayos' khomba(2013)
• AmaVIP (2014)
• Lord Set your mind at rest Are Good (2019)

Television

Malope is clean South African gospel singer allow television personality who rose endorsement fame after winning the 1987 Shell Road to Fame Competition.^[10]

References

External links