Johannesburg - Award-winning gospel ensemble Soweto Spiritual Singers will be making their return to the stage with a three-date performance set for Joburg Theatre from March 31 to April 2, 2023.
Founded by gospel singers Vicky Vilakazi and Nkululeko Vilakazi, the celebrated outfit will be wowing music fans with their energetic and dazzling stage performances after cancelling some of their local and international gigs due to the Covid-19 pandemic between 2020 and 2022.
Speaking to “The Star” before the Joburg Theatre performance, Nkululeko said music fans can expect the best of the world music heritage for which the Soweto Spiritual Singers have been known all these years.
"People can expect a world-class musical extravaganza that delivers all the elements that African music is renowned for: soulful harmonies, explosions of colour, dance, drums, evocative melodies, and so much more. Soweto Spiritual Singers bring for the first time their full-length show to Joburg Theatre, South Africa, after extensively touring the world. There will be rich harmonies, dancing, and drumming, celebrating diverse spiritual and cultural persuasions in South Africa," Nkululeko said.
In the past, the Soweto Spiritual Singers, who collaborated with American singer R Kelly on the country’s biggest World Cup song, "Sign of Victory," in 2010, have performed and showcased their talent at theatres across the globe, selling out shows in Europe, the UK and across the African continent.
Some of their notable achievements include performing at former president Nelson Mandela’s 91st birthday, at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and recording the soundtrack for a Broadway and Disney production of “The Lion King” with Mr LeboM.
When South Africa hosted the Soccer World Cup in 2010, they were one of the acts selected to perform at the opening ceremony. Their song “Sign of a Victory“, featuring R Kelly, is the opening track of the official ”2010 FIFA World Cup” album.
Nkuleleko said besides the upcoming Joburg Theatre appearance, the ensemble was working towards a tour of South Africa later this year, having recently collaborated with Grammy-winning composer Lebo M on a Broadway soundtrack, among others.
"We have recorded the soundtrack for a Broadway and Disney production of “The Lion King”, movie released in 2019. We have also done soundtrack recordings for “The Woman King” movie with Mr LeboM. We are working on new music and should by the time we perform in March also release new music as a celebration of our homecoming.
"We will also be returning on tour later this year, and next year we will resume with a full tour of major cities in South Africa. We will also ensure our serious presence in our home country," Nkululeko said.
The Star