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Vusi
Mahlasela = The Voice, was born in 1965 near Pretoria in South
Africa. He was brought up by his maternal grandmother in Mamelodi
township, where he still resides. Vusi says he's sure he learned
to sing before he could talk. He also taught himself guitar
but with a home-made guitar made of empty cooking-oil cans and
fishing line. By the age of seventeen he was a well-known performer
and also wrote his own music and lyrics. Many of his songs would
fall into the township jazz category and others are very beautiful
ballads.
From the outset, Vusi's songs addressed themes of political
and social significance, and so he found himself in demand at
political rallies and cultural events. His message of peace
also drew him into close contact with poetry groups, especially
the Ancestors of Africa, a rousing group of poets, musicians
and actors, formed in 1981. After joining the Congress of South
African Writers in 1988, Vusi developed a new level of confidence
as a poet and a writer. He struck up a creative friendship with
South African poet Lesego Rampolokeng. He was also exposed to
the work of Victor Jara, whom Vusi acknowledges as a central
influence on his own music and lyrics.
Vusi's first record, When You Come Back, now a South
African classic, was recorded and released in 1991. In 1994,
Vusi was asked to perform the most important gig of his life:
at the inauguration of South Africa's new president, Nelson
Mandela. That same year, with South Africa undergoing massive
transition, Vusi released his second album, on which there are
contributions by the Soweto String Quartet (he also guests on
their 1996 album Renaissance). With Wisdom of Forgiveness
Vusi received a finalist nomination for Best Male Vocalist at
the
FNB SAMA (South African Music Award). He worked closely with
guitarist Louis Mhlanga on several songs. Vusi has since released
four more
albums: Silang Mabele
(1997), Miyela Afrika (2000), Jungle of Questions
(2002) - which Vusi
produced
and recorded with his Proud People's Band backing outfit - and
Guiding Star (2007). Guiding Star features
many guest artists including Ladysmith Black Mambazo with whom
Vusi toured in 2007.
Vusi
contributes to Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony,
the celebrated film
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about the
importance of music and song in South Africa's anti-apartheid
struggle and four of his songs are featured on the soundtrack
album. His songs 'Miyela Africa' and 'Basimanyana' are on the
compilations A Day in the Life of Africa and Acoustic
Africa (Putumayo, 2006) respectively. As
a part of 'Artists for a New South Africa', Vusi
contributed several songs for a 3-CD audio book benefiting children
in South Africa orphaned and impacted by HIV/AIDS: Nelson
Mandela's Favorite African Folktales.
An accomplished
guitarist, percussionist, composer, arranger, band leader and
performer, Vusi now enjoys a worldwide following. The Voice
is a CD of tracks handpicked by Vusi which spans his recordings
over the last 11 years. Several of Vusi's songs are also featured
in the 2006 South African film Tsotsi.
Captivating, addictive and
pure, Vusi's songs carry messages of hope, tolerance and forgiveness,
often inspired by, and relating, events. He has been inspired
and in turn his songs now inspire others. In 2006 Vusi performed
at several WOMAD festivals and from October - December he was
on a tour arranged by Putumayo entitled 'Acoustic
Africa' along with Dobet Gnahoré and Habib Koite.
In 2008 Vusi joined Paul Simon at BAM Brooklyn Academy of Music
for 5 shows (April 9-13) during Simon’s "Love in
Hard Times" residency. 'Playing
for Change' is another music project that Vusi became involved
in during 2009. Vusi
has performed at some memorable concerts: Nelson Mandela's 90th
birthday celebrations in London's Hyde Park in
June 2008,
Tribute Concert to Miriam Makeba curated by Angelique Kidjo
in 2009 and FIFA's
massive World Cup Kick Off Concert in June 2010.
For more updates and videos visit Vusi's web site: Vusi
Mahlasela
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Vusi
Mahlasela 