Following in her dad’s music steps
Growing up with a father who loved music, it is no surprise that Hlamalani Maluleke, better known as the Zahara of Giyani, has ventured into music herself.
LIMPOPO – First discovering her love for music with the help of her guitarist father who encouraged her to sing along when he played, Hlamalani’s talent was clear from the get-go.
Sadly, her father died when she was 16 years old.
With her new album, Dyondzo ayi lumi, roughly translated as “education doesn’t bite”, she hopes to encourage the youth to focus on their education and realise a good education is the key to success.
“Much of my passion and drive I got from my father, Jackson Maluleke. I began singing with him at the age of 14 when he asked me to join in and it has become a habit of mine ever since. Whenever he played guitar I would just fall in and sing along. One of his hopes for my future was that I would become an artist” she explains.
Shortly before her father died, a man visited their home and her father told him about her talent and he asked the man to help his daughter become an artist.
“Although I didn’t fully understand or realise my talent at the time, my father clearly saw something in me.”
She began playing guitar herself and was invited to play at various gala events across South Africa. Her choice of music earned her the nickname Zahara of Giyani because she loved to play and perform popular songs in Tsonga.
“To me, music and culture go hand-in-hand and I want to proudly show my culture and heritage through my music. I want to let my music relate to our elders so they can appreciate it all while keeping our culture and tradition alive for the younger generation,” she continues.
Talking about her new album, Maluleke said she aimed to encourage the youth to go to school. “I came to the realisation that many youths nowadays would rather sit in a tavern drinking beer than in classroom studying because they don’t have perspective on life’s bigger picture.”
Her new album is vastly gaining popularity and growing her fan base at an immense speed. For those interested in buying her new album, contact her manager, Hlayisani Maluleke, on 076 212 3519.
