Known as the enigmatic spirit of African Soul, South Africa’s Bongeziwe Mabandla is a multiple award-winning artist who has recorded four acclaimed albums, performed on an array of national and international stages, become a sought-after creative collaborator and expanded his talents into film and visual art.
Part of the Black Alternative sound that is staking its claim as among the most singular and compelling music forms around, Mabandla first came to the attention of music fans with his 2012 debut, Umlilo. Working with composer, instrumentalist, and producer Tiago Correia-Paulo, he has since released a trio of albums - Mangaliso (2017), iimini (2020) and his latest, amaXesha (2023) - that have taken the singer, songwriter and musician from the Eastern Cape rural town of Tsolo onto the international stage.
Mabandla has won two South African Music Awards for Best Alternative Music Album (Mangaliso in 2018 and iimini in 2021), Best Music Video at the 2018 Capital City Black Film Awards and Jozi Film Fest for “Bawo Wam,” and his album iimini was in American Songwriter’s Top Albums of 2020. His album amaXesha was The Guardian’s Global Album of the Month in April 2023. He performed on ColorsxStudios and debuted in the film Augure, which won at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
From his rural roots in the Eastern Cape to global acclaim, Bongeziwe Mabandla's journey is a testament to the transformative power of music and art to break boundaries and touch hearts around the world.