Zwai Bala

Zwai Bala
Zwai Bala
Birth name	Mzwandile Bala
Born	15 February 1975 (age 49); Uitenhage, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Genres	Kwaito, Gospel
Occupation(s)	Rapper, singer, actor
Years active	1997–present
Member of	The Bala Brothers; TKZee;

Zwai Bala (born 15 February 1975) is a South African kwaito and gospel musician.

Education

Bala studied at the Drakensberg Boys' Choir School, near Winterton, KwaZulu-Natal, and matriculated at St Stithians College in 1994. He then pursued an online Master's Certificate in Orchestration for Film and Television at Berklee College of Music in Boston.^[1] He came to public attention in 1997 as a member of the kwaito group TKZee.^[2]

Career

When he was 11 years old, he entered The Shell Road to Fame talent show and reached the semi-finals. Together with school friends Kabelo Mabalane and Tokollo Tshabalala, he formed kwaito group TKZee. TKZee released their singles "Take It Eezy", holiday hit "Phalafala" and their top-selling "Shibobo",^[3] which featured South Africa national football team player Benni McCarthy. Later, Bala began a solo musical career.

As a music director and producer, Bala has worked on musicals featuring Ali Campbell of UB40,^[4] produced Grace from the two-time Grammy award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir,^[5] and has been the featured soloist at the Classical FM–Lexus Soiree at the Sandton Intercontinental.^{[citation needed]}

He was a celebrity contestant on the first season of the SABC 2 reality competition Strictly Come Dancing in 2006, partnered with professional ballroom dancer Kego Motshabi. The pair finished third.^[6]

Songs

Bala's recorded music include:

Ndize
Umlilo-Masibase
All I Do
Black 'N Proud
Ndiredi
Moody's Mood For Love
Nozamile
Vuk'uzenzele
Play That Music
Kuyasa
Ikhaya
Bash'abafana
Tino Tino
Folkfanse-My Heritage
Hand Prints
Circle of Life
Solo
Soccer
Gux Duo
Niceland-Guguletu
Everyone Can Drum
Noble Peace
Noyana

Television

His television appearances include:^[2]

All You Need Is Love – Season 2 – Host
Clash of the Choirs South Africa – Season 1 – Choir Master
Clash of the Choirs South Africa – Season 3 – Guest Judge
Popstars – Season 2, 3 and 4 – Judge
Pump Up The Volume – Season 1 – Judge
Red Cake – Not the Cooking Show – Season 1 – Houseband leader

Awards

In 2002 he received a South African Music Award (SAMA) For his single "Lifted"^[1] and in 2019 he, along with fellow TKZee members Kabelo Mabalane and Tokollo Tshabalala, received a SAMA award for Lifetime Achievement.^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b James, Kamoche (10 April 2018). "Zwai Bala Biography".
^ ^a ^b "Zwai Bala | TVSA". www.tvsa.co.za.
^ "SAMusic".
^ "Ali Campbell – The Legendary Voice Of UB40 Reunited with Astro & Mickey release new album "Silhouette" ahead of Australian tour in December". Cooking Vinyl. Archived from the original on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
^ "Grace – The Soweto Gospel Choir | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.
^ "Strictly Come Dancing South Africa – Episode 1". Timely Passion.
^ "TKZee's journey to being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award". KAYA FM. 4 June 2019.

[auto1-1] James, Kamoche (10 April 2018). "Zwai Bala Biography".

[auto-2] "Zwai Bala | TVSA". www.tvsa.co.za.

[3] "SAMusic".

[4] "Ali Campbell – The Legendary Voice Of UB40 Reunited with Astro & Mickey release new album "Silhouette" ahead of Australian tour in December". Cooking Vinyl. Archived from the original on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2014.

[5] "Grace – The Soweto Gospel Choir | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic.

[6] "Strictly Come Dancing South Africa – Episode 1". Timely Passion.

[7] "TKZee's journey to being awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award". KAYA FM. 4 June 2019.

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