Bulelwa Mkutukana known by her stage name Zahara, was a South African singer-songwriter who died on December 11, 2023.
She was known for her Afro-pop music and her platinum-selling albums, such as Loliwe and Phendula.
She also performed for Nelson Mandela at his home and won several awards, including eight South African Music Awards in 2012.
Zahara cause of death
South Africa’s Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa, who announced her death, said the government had been ‘assisting’ Zahara’s family for ‘some time now’.
I am very saddened by the passing of Zahara,’ Kodwa said. ‘My deepest condolences to the Mkutukana family and the South African music industry.
‘Government has been with the family for some time now. Zahara and her guitar made an incredible and lasting impact in South African music.’
Last month, Zahara’s manager Oyama Dyosiba confirmed the singer had been hospitalised ‘following complaints about physical pains’.
She had suffered liver disease after battling alcohol addiction for years.
Her sister Nomande said in 2019 that doctors had told her: ‘If Zahara continues drinking, she is going to die. We are making sure that there is always someone around her to monitor her so that she doesn’t start drinking again.’
Zahara age
She was 36 years old when she died on December 11, 2023. She was born Bulelwa Mkutukana on 9 November 1987 in East London, South Africa.
She lived there with her parents Nokhaya and Mlamli Mkutukana, and is the sixth of seven children.
She started singing in her school’s choir when she was six years old, and at the age of nine she was asked to join the senior choir because of her strong voice.
Her stage name means “blooming flower”. As a child, she was known by the nickname “Spinach”.
Zahara’s music is classified loosely as “Afro-soul” and she sang in her native language, Xhosa, as well as in English.
Her music has been described as a mixture of styles popularized by Tracy Chapman and India Arie.
She started her career busking on the streets of East London. She was signed to the label TS Records by TK Nciza.
Zahara’s debut album Loliwe was released in 2011. The first issue sold out within 72 hours. 19 days later the album sold more than 100,000 copies, reaching double platinum status in South Africa.
This made her the second musician to reach this figure in such record time after Brenda Fassie, also a Xhosa native.
She released her first live DVD The Beginning Live in 2012, featuring X-Factor USA contestant LeRoy Bell.
The DVD reached platinum in one day, according to the standards set by the Recording Industry of South Africa.
On 1 May 2012, at the annual South African Music Awards, Zahara won eight awards, including “Best Female Artist” and “Album of the Year”.
In 2013, she released her second studio album, Phendula, which won three South African Music Awards for Best Selling Album, Best R&B, Soul and Reggae Album and Best Female Artist of the Year.
The same year, Nelson Mandela invited her to his home to perform a private bedside concert. She then composed “Nelson Mandela” in his honour and released it as an EP.
Zahara net worth
Her net worth is not publicly known, but some sources estimate it to be around $1 million.
Zahara husband
Zahara has been engaged three times in the past. Her current fiance is Mpho Xaba, an engineer who proposed to her in March 2023.
She announced that she was engaged to her partner Mpho Xaba via a tweet on Saturday 11 March. The pair have reportedly been together for six months and met through a mutual friend.
According to Tshisa Live, the singer was engaged to Umhlobo Wenene FM radio presenter Amaza Nstshnga in 2017. The pair were together for almost five years.
In 2019, she was reportedly engaged to Ian Sibiya. However, their relationship did not last long.
In a since-deleted tweet, the singer said “when other men [were] busy doing load shedding in my life, I found myself a generator”.
She has also been previously engaged to radio presenter Amaza Nstshnga and businessman Ian Sibiya.
Zahara children
Zahara is a South African singer who does not have any biological children of her own.
Hopefully, this article was able to provide you with all the necessary information about South African singer Zahara .
Source: www.www.atinkanews.net
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