South African Grammy winners to sing songs of freedom in Whanganui

Milton Ndlakuse (left) with Soweto Gospel Choir members Shimmy Jiyane, Mary Mulovhedzi and Mulalo Mulovhedzi receiving their Grammy Award in Los Angeles this year. Photo / Supplied

It seems the world can't get enough of the Soweto Gospel Choir.

They are currently touring in China and will bring their Freedom tour to Whanganui in March.

I make contact with musical director Milton Ndlakuse at a hotel in Nanning in southern China.

He tells me that he is the guy wearing the rose-patterned tuxedo in a photo taken at the 2019 Grammy Awards where the group won the Best World Music Album award for Freedom.

"It was our third Grammy and such a thrilling night for us," he says.

"It is also very humbling to receive that acknowledgement from the world."

Ndlakuse joined the choir in 2007 and is also a tenor singer and keyboard player.

He is one of 18 talented artists in the group that won New Zealand fans when they performed at WOMAD in 2013.

Touring can be exhausting, he said, and it is hard to be away from family for extended periods.

"There is social media and Skype to help us stay in touch.

"We love that the world can listen to us and it makes our hearts very glad to sing to so many people."

The Soweto Gospel Choir's Freedom tour of New Zealand in 2020 will honour Nelson Mandela and South Africa's struggle for freedom.

"The songs are about our past struggles and the celebration of freedom.

"There are still struggles for people in our country but we sing about healing and how one person can affect another positively.

"Singing and dancing are wonderful ways to reach out to others."

Ndlakuse said part of the revenue from album sales and touring will be donated to the South African UNAIDS campaign.

An estimated 7.7 million people in South Africa were living with HIV in 2018.

"The campaign is working to increase diagnosis and treatment and there has been a decrease but there is much work to be done."

The choir's New Zealand concerts will begin with a rousing programme they have named Songs of the Free which celebrate the centenary of the birth of Nelson Mandela.

The second half will include gospel classics and their spectacular version of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah.

The choir performs in six of South Africa's 11 official languages, with rich
harmonies and earthy rhythms.

Along with their traditional South African anthems, the choir will perform their famous renditions of Amazing Grace and Freedom Songs Medley.

Soweto Gospel Choir: Royal Wanganui Opera House, Saturday, March 21, 2020. Tickets from $41.90. Book at RWOH.