Busi Mhlanga

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Busi Mhlanga
Busi Mhlanga Biography
BornBulawayo
Known forBeing a musician
Websitebusimhlanga.com

Busi Mhlanga is an award-winning Zimbabwean born musician based in the United Kingdom. She is the lead vocalist of the band Shosholoza.

Background=

Busi Mhlanga was born in Bulawayo to South African and Botswanan parents. She was raised in the Zulu Ndebele tradition.[1] She left Zimbabwe for Denmark in 2000. Mhlanga led the choir at St John’s Apostolic Faith Mission at a young age.[2] She was given the name Queen of AbeNguni after her performance during the London Music Festival in 2017. Narrating how the name came about, Mhlanga said:

"The name Queen of AbeNguni came after I was called to perform during the London Music Festival in 2017. Many people attended including one of the original members of Iphi Intombi veteran actor Zwelibanzi Ngubane and his friends. When I finished performing to my surprise the veteran artiste and his friends came on stage and knelt down before me in tears and said to me from today onwards you are the Queen Of AmaNguni, you are the Queen Of AbeNguni Music and that the likes of Miriam Makeba and Busi Mhlongo have risen in you. When they gave me such a role I was shocked and I also knelt down before them in respect of the gesture they had done seeing they were elders and I thought I did not deserve this kind of honour. So instead of Queen Of AmaNguni I chose AbeNguni as the Xhosa and other parts of Nguni Kingdoms in Malawi, Zambia and in South Eastern parts of Africa where there is Ngunis. Well, that’s a long history on its on, but I Am Queen Of AbeNguni"

[3]

Career

Upon leaving school she joined Bulawayo's first Female Troop, Umhlathuzi in 1992 which was under the mentorship of Black Umfolosi.

It was during her time at Umhlathuzi that she was identified and recruited by Albert Nyathi. In 1995 she became the lead vocalist for Albert Nyathi and Imbongi Arts Productions and left in the year 2000 to pursue her solo career in Denmark then eventually settled in the UK.

Mhlanga formed her own band, Shosholoza. Busi Mhlanga has performed at major festivals like WOMAD and Glastonbury as well as playing with the likes of Hugh Masekela, Femi Kuti and The Mahotela Queens. She has also performed at House of Commons during Nelson Mandela funeral in 2015, BBC's The One Show, BBC 3's ‘Don’t Tell The Bride’ and Channel 4’s live ‘Sunday Brunch’.[1][2]

Discography

Albums

  • Ngiyakhumbula


Awards

In September 2021, Busi Mhlanga was named Zim Achievers Awards Cultural Ambassador in the UK.[3]

She was honoured an Achievement Award in African Contemporary Music by MPORIRO (2014), Nominated for Best African Female Musician, Best Choreographer, Best Dancer by U.K. BEFTA AWARDS (2015), Nominated for Best Female Musician by Black African Women Rock (2015), Nominated for Best Female Musician by ZIMMA Awards (2016), Nominated for Best Female Musician by ZIWA AWARDS (2016), Nominated for Best Female Musician by Intombi Awards (2017), Awarded as Cultural Ambassador by WAGES UK (2019), Awarded a Legend’s Award by Trinidad and Tobago Community (2019), Awarded a Mayor’s Award International Women’s Day, London, UK (2020).[4]


Videos

'Wedding Song' by Busi Mhlanga
Busi Mhlanga - Xenophobia Music Video


References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Busi Mhlanga and Shosholoza, blackhistorymonth.org.uk, Published: September 19, 2021, Retrieved: October 22, 2021
  2. 2.0 2.1 Mthabisi Tshuma, UK-based songstress Busi Zim-bond still lives, The Chronicle, Published: October 6, 2020, Retrieved: October 22, 2021
  3. 3.0 3.1 Mthabisi Tshuma, ‘Queen of abeNguni’ scoops Zim Achievers Award, Sunday News, Published: September 26, 2021, Retrieved: October 22, 2021
  4. BUSI MHLANGA, busimhlanga.com, Published: No Date Given, Retrieved: October 22, 2021

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