Thandiswa Mazwai Tiny Desk Concert reaches 1 million views
Image: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers
South African music legend Thandiswa Mazwai's episode on the National Public Radio (NPR) Tiny Desk Concert series has reached 1 million views.
Affectionately known as 'King Tha,' she appeared on the popular YouTube show in April 2024. Her episode was listed among the '10 Best Tiny Desk Concerts of 2024'.
Mazwai had delivered a spiritual and breathtaking Tiny Desk performance in Washington, D.C., performing her well-known and cherished hits such as 'Nizalwa Ngobani?' and 'Ingoma.'
The episode reaching 1 million views comes ahead of her show at The Lyric Theatre at Johannesburg's Gold Reef City.
Playing with a Jazz quartet, the icon will be performing music from her albums 'Belede' and 'Sankofa' on Sunday, June 29.
Mazwai shared her excitement about performing the body of works. 'It is a special treat for our fans who always ask to see this music live. 'Belede' is of course, a very special album for me and we are also celebrating a year since the release of 'Sankofa'.'
'Belede' is Mazwai's third solo studio album, released in 2016, a collection of reinterpretations of legendary South African Jazz and protest anthems from the 1950s and 1960s.
'Sankofa' is Mazwai's fourth studio album and was released in May 2024. 'Sankofa' is a Ghanaian Twi word that means 'to go back and fetch what has been left behind'.
The making of this record embodied that idea. Recorded in Johannesburg, Dakar, and New York, the album combines archival Xhosa samples (which were sourced from the International Library of African Music at Rhodes University), jazz and West African music.
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Mazwai shared that 'Within those ancient rhythms and polyrhythms, a common lexicon revealed itself to me and I am excited to share this music with those who have been growing and evolving with me.
'It is about a celebration of the pan-African spirit, healing old wounds, and returning to what honours us."
'Belede' and 'Sankofa' have a strong jazz influence and Mazwai's show will put together a special lineup of musicians to celebrate some of the people who played and the influences that created the music.
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