Actress Gugu Zulu claims Idols top 16 spot

Talented Mzansi actress, singer and songwriter Gugu Zulu is still pinching herself after making it to the Idols SA Top 16.

Having already acted in South Africa's most popular telenovela Uzalo and action drama series The Alliance, you would think Zulu would be content with her life.

"My two passions are acting and music. For a while I struggled to choose which one to focus on, and which one to sacrifice. I finally came to the decision to pursue both," said the dark beauty.

Zulu said there is no platform bigger than Idols SA for her to launch her music career.

"We are talking Idols here, the most watched music reality show in the country. It can't get bigger than that," she said.

At 24 years of age, the University of KwaZulu-Natal performing arts graduate hopes to go all the way and win Idols.

"It would be a dream come true. I want to stay focused and continue to show the judges and Mzansi fans the beautiful gift that God gave me," she said.

The gifted lass from Mandeni, northern KwaZulu-Natal, bagged the Uzalo and The Alliance roles and also featured in the new international movie She is King, all in the space of two years.

She had just turned 20 when she took part in season 1 of Clash of the Choirs SA as a member of gospel and R&B singer Khaya Mthethwa's team which won the competition in 2013.

She was also part of the Crown Gospel Awards choir, backing stars including Sfiso Ncwane, Andile Majola and Dumi Mkokstad.

She worked with PJ Powers and Ladysmith Black Mambazo in 2015 on the Ladysmith Black Mambazo Night of the Legends concert in Durban.

"I have been singing in choirs since primary school and my father, who was a pianist, taught me a lot about music composition and song writing," she said.

She believes that this year will be a turning point in her music career.

She now lives in Honeydew and was shooting She is King when she auditioned for Idols SA in Johannesburg.

"I firmly believe that nothing is impossible if you focus and work hard. My parents taught me that," said Zulu.

She grew up listening to gospel, jazz and maskandi music.

Her favourite artists are Lira, Whitney Houston and Busi Mhlongo and, like them, she wants to conquer the world.

It was the song Something Inside So Strong, a 1987 single written and recorded by British singer-songwriter Labi Siffre, that got Zulu her golden ticket. Lira also recorded the song in her album Rise Again - The Reworked Hits Collection.