Late songstress Zahara scooped over 40 awards in her 11-year career

Before the spotlight shone bright on Zahara, she was just a village girl from East London, Eastern Cape known for her captivating voice reminiscent of the great Tracy Chapman.

Real name Bulelwa Mkutukana, Zahara first scratched the surface as a poet known as Spinach who’d regularly perform at Talamanca Music Lounge – the first stage that gave life to a budding songstress. She ended up changing the trajectory of South African Afro Soul with her amazing vocals tagged along with her acoustic guitar, one she’ll forever be synonymously known for. 

Zahara passed away in hospital on Monday night following a short illness.

The self-taught guitarist rose to fame in 2011 when she clung to a record deal with TS Records – this is where she released her debut album Loliwe, which reached gold status within three days. 

A year after, as a rising star, the late 35-year-old cemented her name by scooping eight SA Music Awards, including album of the year and best female artist – a history-making moment for the girl whose desire was to sing and share her voice with the nation. 

Zahara’s successful run didn’t end there, in 2013 her second album, Phendula amassed three chart-topping singles, Phendula, Impilo and Stay.

Like a typical rags-to-riches story, Zahara went from performing for a small crowd at local clubs and street sidewalks in the Eastern Cape to filling up big arenas across the country during the teething stages of her career. 

“Spinach, as she was then known, came in to participate at our weekly poetry sessions,” Olwethu Hoyana, the owner of the now-closed Talamanca Music Lounge tells Sowetan the morning after the passing of the songstress was confirmed. 

“This was a platform for young artists to express themselves. Zahara became a regular and won many competitions that we held. I thought she was a marvel to listen to… she actually reminded me of the great Tracy Chapman.” 

With no doubt of the talent she started honing as a child, Hoyana recalled how Zahara stood out from many artists and had endless material to perform. 

“Loliwe was very popular and was clearly her favourite song. For her first professional album, I do not think her recording label had to do much except put her into the studio,” he said. “[At the time] I always felt she was the next big Afro-Pop SA artist, and I wasn’t wrong.” 

The six of seven siblings was signed by TS Records, a company owned by DJ Sbu and TK Nciza. 

With her stage name officially Zahara, meaning blooming flower in Arabic, the songstress gained incredible fame and even became former late-great president Nelson Mandela’s favourite singer who had the opportunity to perform privately at his home. 

“It was great to work with this young rural girl who loved the stage. She gave a lot of hope to other aspiring local artists,” said Hoyana.

“One day during the 2010 World Cup, Zahara performed at a packed Sisa Dukashe stadium in Mdantsane, alongside Oskido, DJ Zinhle and Mahoota vs Vetkuk.

“The crowd booed her while on stage as they wanted the big names [to perform]. She was alone on stage strumming her guitar to Loliwe and I was under pressure from some SABC and the government people who asked me to take her off stage. Hearing the accede of the crowd’s chants yelling: ‘Oskido, Oskido’… I urged her to finish her song and block out the noise. 

“She was in tears when she came off stage and I hugged her and told her well done, that was big of her. Three months later, the whole country was blasting Loliwe in their cars. I knew then that Zahara had arrived,” Hoyana happily recalled. 

Little did Zahara know she’d become one of the best stars to ever come from our generation. 

She continued to give fans smash hits with the release of her third album Country Girl, in 2015. 

In 2017, she finally changed record labels and signed with Warner Music SA where she dropped her fourth album, Mgodi. Her fifth and final album, Nqaba Yam released in 2021 peaked at number 1 on iTunes. In November, the singer tried something different by venturing into a sound completely different from what she was known for. She released her first-ever amapiano song, Guqa Ngedolo, composed by veteran music producer and longtime friend Mojalefa Thebe, better known as Mjakes. 

While the late sultry songstress gained great success with her music and scooped over 40 awards in her 11-year career, she also faced adversaries such as industry pressures, personal struggles, and battles with alcoholism, which she openly spoke out about on numerous occasions. 

Although she may have had a rocky relationship with fame, it afforded her the ability to travel abroad where she headlined international shows in the US, Canada and other parts of Africa.

Beyond her musical prowess, the soulful singer used her influence and platform to advocate for social justice for women’s rights and education in rural communities. She remained committed to empowering the marginalised which became an integral part of her legacy.

“One day I will talk about how from the onset this moment that we are facing right now was our premise of departure. All her challenges that came with fame, we could have avoided. That is, however, a story for another day,” said Hoyana. “With her passing, dies many youthful dreams from the Eastern Cape. We must mourn her.”