Singer gives IsiNdebele flavour to jazz
"I want my music to be heard across the country, to move and reach people as far as the UK. They need to learn IsiNdebele, the culture and the AmaNdebele people."
Singer Zodwa Mabena aims to make IsiNdebele more popular through her jazz music.
Mabena, who was born in Kwa-Ndebele and now calls Pretoria Central home, said she had been singing all her life.
“I want my music to be heard across the country, to move and reach people as far as the UK. They need to learn IsiNdebele, the culture and the AmaNdebele people,” said Mabena.
“I have been singing since I was very young. I have known only music.”
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Mabena’s decision to sing jazz in IsiNdelebe is quite distinctive and places her in a good place in the music industry.
Usually, jazz music is sung in English or latin languages,
With her upcoming album, Mabena belts out a song in IsiNdelebe called Aline Volo, which is the name of her debut 15 track album.
In her song, she asks for the rain to fall in drought-stricken areas.
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“Besides singing in my native language, I also want to address issues that affect people (myself included),” said Mabena.
“Rain, famine and poverty affect people and we as artists need to sing about that. Make people aware.”
During her performances, Mabena also plays instruments such as bass guitar.
“Playing instruments came naturally to me,” she said.
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Besides working on her already flourishing career as a jazz artist, Mabena runs the South African School of Music in her hometown of Mpumalanga.
She said she was equally passionate about imparting music education to youngsters while advancing her own music career.
“We teach young people how to sing, produce and sell their music,” she said.
She said courses offered by her school were accredited by Unisa.
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Mabena said although she was working hard to advance her career, it was difficult as she was an unsigned, independent artist.
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Mabena has won best African jazz album and was honoured by the orgainsers of Sunshine Mpumalanga Awards.
“I received the best album for the work I did with my debut album,” she said.
She has been part of the of the Ladies In Jazz ensemble for the past 10 years.
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