#ThobelaThursday:
Thread - Mafikizolo and the birth of AfroPop.

Announcements:

1. Welcome to another week of Thobela Thursday.
2. This week we'll be doing Mafikizolo but specifically their founding years and initial run (1997 - 2006).
3. As usual there are bad quality clips present, sorry.
4. I won't be covering solo projects so don't ask.

The Mafikizolo story starts at Kalawa. Two friends (Theo and Nhlanhla) were a singing duo and were shopping around for a record deal. Oskido decided to sign them but he adds Tebogo Madingoane to create a kwaito band.

This is Bafana Bonke from their 1997 self titled debut album.

The group spends years in the shadow of their much more successful kwaito label mates like Thebe, Bongo Maffin, Boom Shaka and Trompies.

Struggling to get a hit and establish their own individuality they release their next album Music Revolution in 1999 to very little success.

It's not until 2000s GateCrashers that the group scores it first major hit.

Lotto comes out and is a radio and club hit. It is the first of a long string of hits the group would enjoy. (I don't know if it's Theo's hair or the dancing but this video lives rent free in my heart).

Their second hit off GateCrashers is a sonic departure from the kwaito sound Kalawa had been known for.

A hit for the group, the sound of Majika would change the direction of the groups sound forever. (This song is still so good).

Right as the group is gaining popularity and touring the country on the success of GateCrashers tragedy hits.

The two lead vocalists Theo Kgosinkwe and Nhlanhla Nciza are involved in a near fatal car/train accident that leaves Nhlanhla in the ICU for 3 months.

It's this year off the road and recovering that the group goes through a sonic and visual evolution.

Inspired by 1950s Marabi music and fashion from the Jazz and Sophiatown era, they record and release Sibongile, a thank you to God for surviving the accident.

They release a song that would later be named the song of the decade as a single. Ndihamba Nawe takes the country by storm and helps AfroPop music slowly eclipse kwaito music on radio and dance floors.

The album Sibongile sells 380k copies in its first calendar year.

They spend the rest of 2003 winning awards like best group at the SAMAs and touring the continent as the biggest band in Africa.

The album gives them another hit with Gugo'thandayo.

They release Kwela as the follow up to Sibongile and its an immediate success.

The single Udakwa Njalo is yet another hit for seemingly unstoppable trio. (why don't we dance like this in the club anymore?)

Kwela Kwela is a Marabi classic ft the King of South African Jazz Hugh Masekela.

The album also passes the 300k sales mark.

In bitter sweet fashion the third single Emlanjeni is the groups biggest hit since Ndihamba Nawe but it's also the last video to feature group member Tebogo Madingoane who was shot to death in a road rage argument at the age of 32.

Here's an interview where Theo and Nhlanhla discuss the impact of losing Tebogo and their decision to not replace him as a member. (also this features Simba Mhere who passed in 2015).

2005 the new duo comes back in true hit maker fashion their first single from the album Van Toeka Af is a smash called Nisixoshelani.

Another hit from the album is the ballad Mas'Thokoze.

Nhlanhla looked so beautiful in this video.

In 2006 the group finally decides to take a break after releasing 6 studio albums and all their success to focus on solo projects. Before they leave they drop Six Mabone with singles like O Tswa Kae.

So I won't be covering solo releases but a lot happens in this period. They both release solo records and Nhlanhla releases a successful clothing line.

Most painfully though Nhlanhla loses her 5 year old daughter Zinathi in a car accident in 2009. The break takes 6 years.

2013 the duo gets back together with a completely new sound and look. Khona the first single from the album Reunited becomes number 1 across Africa. Mafikizolo initiates what's probably the most successful comeback since Brenda Fassie's Memeza.

Khona and Happiness take the group back to the top of the industry. Winning 8 SAMA Awards in one night the group proved that there's still space from veteran acts in an industry that often ignores them for new and younger acts.

As we know this series doesn't cover anything recent so this is where we'll call it a night.

Please follow my account but also support Mafikizolo who are still making great music and putting on great shows. Thank you