10 Most Famous South African singers

Miriam makeba by Paul Weinberg from Wikimedia Commons

10 Most Famous South African singers

South African musicians have a lot to offer music enthusiasts worldwide, from jazz to pop and everything in between. These performers have made a lasting impression on music history while entertaining audiences all across the world.

In this blog article, we’ll examine 10 of South Africa’s most well-known musicians and their career highlights. You’re likely to discover something fresh and intriguing here, whether you already enjoy South African music or are just starting started!

1. Hugh Masekela

Hugh Masekela by H.L.I.T. from Wikimedia Commons

Hugh Masekela, a celebrated jazz trumpeter and composer who was born in Emalahleni in 1939, has been playing music for more than 60 years. He achieved his greatest fame with the song “Grazing in the Grass,” which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 list in 1966.

Along with these well-known musicians, Masekela has collaborated with Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, and Paul Simon. Masekela has received a number of honours and distinctions in recognition of his musical talent and devotion, including a Grammy Award, an honorary doctorate from the University of York, and entry into the South African Music Hall of Fame.

Although he passed away in 2008, his music will live on for years to come, inspiring people all around the world.

2. Abdullah Ibrahim

Abdullah Ibrahim by Schorle from Wikimedia Commons

World-famous jazz pianist and composer Abdullah Ibrahim was born in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1934. He started learning the piano at a young age and started writing music in his early 20s.

Ibrahim has worked with some of the greatest jazz musicians, including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Dizzy Gillespie. His music has a distinct and recognizable sound since it is largely influenced by indigenous South African music and rhythms.

In addition to a Grammy Award and an honorary doctorate from the University of the Witwatersrand, he has received several outstanding honours. Ibrahim is a well-known musician in addition to being a renowned visual artist. He has had several international exhibitions of his work, and in 1994 he was even shortlisted for the coveted Turner Prize.

Ibrahim is a great master of his profession and a pioneer of jazz music. He keeps touring and performing worldwide, thrilling audiences with his distinctive sound.

3. Miriam Makeba

Miriam Makeba by Roland Godefroy from Wikimedia Commons

The famed singer and human rights campaigner Miriam Makeba was born in Johannesburg in 1932. Her music merged elements of jazz, gospel, and soul with indigenous South African music.

She is well known for her international smash song “Pata Pata,” which was first published in 1957. Throughout her career, she received various honours, including the Nelson Mandela Peace Prize, an honorary doctorate from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and a Grammy Award.

Makeba spent many years in exile and was a strong opponent of apartheid in South Africa. She passed away from a heart attack while performing in Italy in 2008.

4. Johnny Clegg

Johnny Clegg by Tilly Antoine from Wikimedia Commons

Johnny Clegg, a well-known singer, composer, and dancer born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1953, is next on the list. As a member of the band Juluka during the apartheid era in the 1970s, he started his musical career.

In 1986, Clegg started his own band, Savuka, which became a worldwide hit because of its fusion of pop-rock and Zulu traditional music. Throughout his career, Clegg has received several distinctions, including the SAMA Lifetime Achievement Award, the Order of the British Empire, and entry into the South African Music Hall of Fame.

He is also one of the few white musicians who are seen as “African” by many of his admirers and contemporaries. At the age of 66, Clegg passed away in 2019. He is regarded as one of South Africa’s most popular artists and a supporter of racial harmony.

5. Vusi Mahlasela

Vusi Mahlasela by Morné van Rooyen from Wikimedia Commons

South African singer, composer, and guitarist Vusi Mahlasela was born in Mpumalanga in 1965. He started his musical career as a member of the anti-apartheid band The Starlight Mints in the 1980s. But when his debut album, The Voice, was released in the early 2000s, his solo career really took off.

Mahlasela is renowned for his distinctive singing style, which has been compared to “a blend of township jive, gospel, and folk music.”

6. David Kramer

David Kramer was born in Worcester, South Africa, in 1951. He is a singer, composer, and actor. He co-founded the band Os Kiebos in 1971, and it is for this band that he is most well-known.

Throughout his career, Kramer has put out a number of outstanding albums and received various honours, including a SAMA for Best Male Artist. Kramer is a genuine musical legend from South Africa. He has a lengthy and fruitful career and is still an inspiration to artists everywhere.

7. Glynis Johns

GLynis Johns by Studio Publicity from Wikimedia Commons

South African actress and vocalist Glynis Johns was born in Pretoria in 1922. She started her career on stage in the 1940s, quickly rising to the top of the British acting world.

Throughout her career, she appeared in a number of movies, such as The Three Musketeers (1948), The Court Jester (1956), and The Nun’s Story (1959).

She has also had success as a singer and has put out a number of albums over her career in addition to acting. In 1997, she was admitted to the Theater Hall of Fame after being appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1991.

She has enjoyed a fruitful career in both music and movies and is still regarded as one of Britain’s most cherished actors.

8. Lucky Dube

South African singer, songwriter, and guitarist Lucky Dube was born in 1964. As a reggae band member of The Gladiators in the 1980s, he started his musical career.

He quickly became one of the most well-known reggae singers in South Africa and put out a number of chart-topping albums. Dube was renowned for his commanding voice and socially aware songs, which frequently touched on issues like racism and poverty.

Although he was brutally assassinated in a robbery in 2007, his music still inspires and uplifts people everywhere.

9. Shaun Welgemoed

Shaun Morgan by U.S. Air Force from Wikimedia Commons

South African singer-songwriter Shaun Welgemoed was born in Cape Town in 1978. He started his music career in the early 2000s and quickly rose to fame as one of South Africa’s most well-known musicians.

Welgemoed is renowned for his evocative lyrics that frequently address themes of love and sorrow and his deep voice. Throughout his career, he has put out a number of outstanding albums and earned various honours, including a SAMA for Best Male Artist.

10. Sipho Mabuse

Ray Phiri by Bobbyshabangu from Wikimedia Commons

South African singer, composer, and guitarist Sipho Mabuse was born in Johannesburg in 1952. His work with the 1977 co-founded band Stimela is what made him most well-known. Throughout his career, Mabuse has put out a number of successful albums and received various honours, including a SAMA for Best Male Artist.

One of the most renowned vocalists in South Africa is Mabuse. He has a lengthy and fruitful career and is still an inspiration to artists everywhere.

These are just a handful of South Africa’s numerous talented musicians. These musicians continue to inspire new generations of musicians and have a significant influence on the South African music landscape.