Soweto Gospel Choir to perform in Taranaki next year

The Soweto Gospel Choir will perform in honour of Nelson Mandela, the father of South Africa's rainbow nation. Photo / supplied.

The legacy of Nelson Mandela will be celebrated when the Soweto Gospel Choir performs in New Plymouth next March.

The Soweto Gospel Choir's Freedom tour is to honour Mandela, known as the father of the rainbow nation, and South Africa's struggle for freedom.

The choir will perform at the TSB Showplace on Thursday, March 26, as part of its New Zealand tour.

Their 90-minute performance will include vibrant costumes, vocals and uplifting songs.

It isn't the first time the choir has visited Taranaki. They have performed at WOMAD previously.

The choir has won three Grammy awards over the years, with the most recent in 2019 for best world music album.

The 18-strong choir has performed with artists as diverse as U2, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé, Ben Harper, Robert Plant, Celine Dion, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Josh Groban.

"The Soweto Gospel Choir members are thrilled to return to New Zealand," producer Andrew Kay said.

"The group continues to inspire fans worldwide. We hope that our uplifting message of hope, faith, and joy reaches audiences new and old on this special return visit as we celebrate the legacy of the great Nelson Mandela."

The choir performs both traditional and contemporary music, and performs in six of South Africa's 11 official languages.

During the first half of the concert, the choir will perform Songs of the Free, a programme celebrating the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela.

The second half consists of international gospel classics, including a hair-raising take on Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah.

Tickets are available now online from Ticketek or call 0800 Ticketek