Yvonne Chaka Chaka
Encyclopedia
Yvonne Chaka Chaka is a South Africa
n singer.
Dubbed the "Princess of Africa", Chaka Chaka has been at the forefront of South African popular music for 20 years. Songs like "I'm Burning Up", "thank you mister dj", "I Cry for Freedom", "Makoti", "Motherland" and the ever-popular "Umqombothi
" ("African Beer") ensured Yvonne's stardom.
The song "Umqombothi" was featured in the opening scene of the 2004 movie Hotel Rwanda
.
. She became the first Black child to appear on South African television. In 1981 "Sugar Shack", a talent show, introduced her to the South African public.
Chaka Chaka started singing at 19 in 1985 when Phil Hollis of Dephon Records discovered her in Johannesburg
. Shortly after, her debut album "I’m in Love With a DJ", sold 35,000 copies, and the title track became an instant hit.
Songs like "I'm Burning Up", "I Cry for Freedom", "Sangoma","Motherland" and the ever-popular, "Umqombothi
" immediately ensured Chaka Chaka's status as a star on South Africa's mbaqanga
music scene.
Chaka Chaka had it tough growing up. Her father died when she was 11 and her mother, a domestic worker
, brought up three daughters on her meagre 40 Rand
a month salary.
She has two diplomas from the University of South Africa
, one in adult education, another in local government, management and administration. She also studied speech and drama at Trinity College, London, qualifying in 1997.
Releasing hit after hit, Chaka Chaka's subsequent award winning albums include "Burning Up", "Sangoma", "Who’s The Boss", "Motherland", " Be Proud to be African", "Thank You Mr DJ", "Back on my Feet", "Rhythm of Life", "Who's got the Power", "Bombani ( Tiko Rahini), "Power of Afrika", "Yvonne and Friends" and "Kwenzenjani".
Chaka Chaka owns a limousine company together with her husband, Dr Mandlalele Mhinga, has her own music label and her own production company. She teaches literacy
part time at the University of South Africa, sits on several boards of charitable organisations and NGOs, and serves on the board of the Johannesburg Tourism Company.
Throughout her illustrious career Chaka Chaka has met people like Nelson Mandela
(singing at his 85th birthday party), the Queen
and Oprah Winfrey
.
Chaka Chaka's continuing legacy as "Princess of Africa" is a testament to her connection to everyday people as well as royalty. Whether she is performing for Kings and Queens, Presidents and First Ladies or corporate concerts; she always returns to those she loves - her fans and family of listeners in South African cities, townships and rural areas.
"Mama Africa", Miriam Makeba
said of her "She’s my baby!", Hugh Masekela
adds that Yvonne is "my mad niece". Legends Dolly Rathebe
and Dorothy Masuka
describe Yvonne's music as "something that all should listen to".
When asked who she admired most, Chaka Chaka said "My mother because she has always been there for me. My mother raised three daughters single-handedly on a domestic worker's salary. That took great courage and strength. She is my mentor and hero. When I was born in 1965 in Soweto, it was during apartheid, and those were extremely difficult times. My dad was a great musician who could never realize his dream. He died when I was 11 years old. I inherited my talent from both parents, so music has always been in my blood. When I was little I would strum an empty tin and blow into a broom stick pretending it was a microphone. I sang in church choirs. I loved singing. I am blessed that I achieved my destiny, and been able to accomplish what my father could not."
Then she married Tiny Mhinga who is related to Mavivi Myakayaka Manzini and is the uncle to Lebohang Manzini.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n singer.
Dubbed the "Princess of Africa", Chaka Chaka has been at the forefront of South African popular music for 20 years. Songs like "I'm Burning Up", "thank you mister dj", "I Cry for Freedom", "Makoti", "Motherland" and the ever-popular "Umqombothi
Umqombothi (song)
"Umqombothi" is a song by South African singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka.Umqombothi, in Xhosa, is a beer commonly found in South Africa made from maize, maize malt, sorghum malt, yeast and water....
" ("African Beer") ensured Yvonne's stardom.
The song "Umqombothi" was featured in the opening scene of the 2004 movie Hotel Rwanda
Hotel Rwanda
Hotel Rwanda is a 2004 American drama film directed by Terry George. It was adapted from a screenplay written by both George and Keir Pearson. Based on real life events which took place in Rwanda during the spring of 1994, the film stars Don Cheadle as hotelier Paul Rusesabagina, who attempts to...
.
Biography
Chaka Chaka was born in Dobsonville in SowetoSoweto
Soweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
. She became the first Black child to appear on South African television. In 1981 "Sugar Shack", a talent show, introduced her to the South African public.
Chaka Chaka started singing at 19 in 1985 when Phil Hollis of Dephon Records discovered her in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. Shortly after, her debut album "I’m in Love With a DJ", sold 35,000 copies, and the title track became an instant hit.
Songs like "I'm Burning Up", "I Cry for Freedom", "Sangoma","Motherland" and the ever-popular, "Umqombothi
Umqombothi
Umqombothi, from the Xhosa language, is a beer made from maize , maize malt, sorghum malt, yeast and water. It is commonly found in South Africa. It is very rich in Vitamin B. The beer has a heavy and distinctly sour aroma. The beer does not have a very high alcohol content, usually less than...
" immediately ensured Chaka Chaka's status as a star on South Africa's mbaqanga
Mbaqanga
Mbaqanga is a style of South African music with rural Zulu roots that continues to influence musicians worldwide today. The style originated in the early 1960s.-History:...
music scene.
Chaka Chaka had it tough growing up. Her father died when she was 11 and her mother, a domestic worker
Domestic worker
A domestic worker is a man, woman or child who works within the employer's household. Domestic workers perform a variety of household services for an individual or a family, from providing care for children and elderly dependents to cleaning and household maintenance, known as housekeeping...
, brought up three daughters on her meagre 40 Rand
South African rand
The rand is the currency of South Africa. It takes its name from the Witwatersrand , the ridge upon which Johannesburg is built and where most of South Africa's gold deposits were found. The rand has the symbol "R" and is subdivided into 100 cents, symbol "c"...
a month salary.
She has two diplomas from the University of South Africa
University of South Africa
The University of South Africa is a distance education university, with headquarters in Pretoria, South Africa. With approximately 300 000 enrolled students, it qualifies as one of the world's mega universities.-History:...
, one in adult education, another in local government, management and administration. She also studied speech and drama at Trinity College, London, qualifying in 1997.
Releasing hit after hit, Chaka Chaka's subsequent award winning albums include "Burning Up", "Sangoma", "Who’s The Boss", "Motherland", " Be Proud to be African", "Thank You Mr DJ", "Back on my Feet", "Rhythm of Life", "Who's got the Power", "Bombani ( Tiko Rahini), "Power of Afrika", "Yvonne and Friends" and "Kwenzenjani".
Chaka Chaka owns a limousine company together with her husband, Dr Mandlalele Mhinga, has her own music label and her own production company. She teaches literacy
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
part time at the University of South Africa, sits on several boards of charitable organisations and NGOs, and serves on the board of the Johannesburg Tourism Company.
Throughout her illustrious career Chaka Chaka has met people like Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
(singing at his 85th birthday party), the Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
and Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
.
Chaka Chaka's continuing legacy as "Princess of Africa" is a testament to her connection to everyday people as well as royalty. Whether she is performing for Kings and Queens, Presidents and First Ladies or corporate concerts; she always returns to those she loves - her fans and family of listeners in South African cities, townships and rural areas.
"Mama Africa", Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba , nicknamed Mama Africa, was a Grammy Award winning South African singer and civil rights activist....
said of her "She’s my baby!", Hugh Masekela
Hugh Masekela
Hugh Ramopolo Masekela is a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, and singer.-Early life:Masekela was born in Kwa-Guqa Township, Witbank, South Africa. He began singing and playing piano as a child...
adds that Yvonne is "my mad niece". Legends Dolly Rathebe
Dolly Rathebe
Dolly Rathebe was a South African musician and actress.Dolly Rathebe was born in Randfontein in South Africa but grew up in Sophiatown which she describes as having been "a wonderful place". She was discovered around 1948 after singing at a picnic in Johannesburg...
and Dorothy Masuka
Dorothy Masuka
Dorothy Masuka is a jazz singer who was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe in 1935, then called Southern Rhodesia. She was the fourth of seven children and her mother was Zulu while her father was a Zambian hotel chef. Still, she attended a Catholic school deemed good by the standards of education allowed...
describe Yvonne's music as "something that all should listen to".
When asked who she admired most, Chaka Chaka said "My mother because she has always been there for me. My mother raised three daughters single-handedly on a domestic worker's salary. That took great courage and strength. She is my mentor and hero. When I was born in 1965 in Soweto, it was during apartheid, and those were extremely difficult times. My dad was a great musician who could never realize his dream. He died when I was 11 years old. I inherited my talent from both parents, so music has always been in my blood. When I was little I would strum an empty tin and blow into a broom stick pretending it was a microphone. I sang in church choirs. I loved singing. I am blessed that I achieved my destiny, and been able to accomplish what my father could not."
Then she married Tiny Mhinga who is related to Mavivi Myakayaka Manzini and is the uncle to Lebohang Manzini.
External links
- Official Website
- Yvonne Chaka Chaka lyrics
- Yvonne Chaka Chaka on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....