Back where she belongs
Sonti Mndebele to wow the crowds with release of new album
SHE counts some of the most prominent musicians, such as Letta Mbulu, the late Miriam Makeba, Jonas Gwangwa, Julian Bahula and Hugh Masekela, as among her influences.
She has performed with these leading musicians while in exile in London.
Meet Sonti Mndebele, the Afro-jazz artist who is ready to wow the local entertainment industry with the release of her new album through KZN Music House.
One of the most seasoned musical exports from the country is back where she belongs - with a bang - with the release of her album Back Where I Belong.
"I was born in Mohlakeng on the West Rand and started singing while I was in high school. In 1976, because I was involved in the Soweto uprisings, I had to leave the country and go to Botswana.
"I have so many musical influences that I have fused into this album. It is what you might call Afro-jazz, a reflection of my own experience," she says.
Mndebele says she does not want to reveal who will be at the launch at the stylish Venue, Melrose Arch, on June 8.
"The big guys are coming to this big launch and it is going to be a ball of a function at the Venue," she says.
The album has 12 scintillating tracks of a mixture of Afro-jazz-soul and world music.
The singer has sung with almost every musician of note from South Africa and has travelled the world since the 1980s.
The excitement in showbiz is building up around the launch. The who's who of the entertainment industry have confirmed their attendance to this celebrity-filled event.
The album is a journey through her life of exile and a fulfilling performance career, from Botswana, where she belonged to a number of cultural groups comprising South African exiles and their Botswana counterparts. She was part of the Medu Cultural Group among whose members were influential cultural activists of the time such as Mandla Langa,Wally Serote, Tim Williams, Baleka Mbete and Kush Mudau.
Mndebele left for Germany in 1980 after meeting London-based South African music veteran Julian Bahula and being introduced to influential South African musicians in exile at the time.
Travelling and performing around Europe and the US, she has shared the stage with internationally reputed music gurus such as Sting and Peter Gabriel and toured with Paul Simon on his Graceland tour, exposing her to several musical styles that she has beautifully managed to weave into her album, resulting in her unique, hybrid sound that is sure to take the entertainment industry by storm.
Mndebele has worked closely with big names on the album, including Mbongeni Ngema and Lawrence Matshiza who co-wrote songs with her. The album was produced by talented Ghanaian ace producer Kwame Yeaboah.