Vusa Mkhaya

Vusa Mkhaya (born 19 October 1974), is a Zimbabwean singer and songwriter best known for being a member of the award winning vocal trio, Insingizi.

Vusa Mkhaya
Background information
Birth nameVusumuzi Ndlovu
Born (1974-10-19) 19 October 1974
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
OriginZimbabwe
GenresImbube/World Music/Crossover
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • Producer
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1991–present
LabelsMkhaya Music Productions
Websitewww.mkhaya.net

Early life

Vusa Mkhaya was born on the 19th October 1974 in Bulawayo. He was raised in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe where he was introduced to Imbube music and fell in love with it. At the age of nine he was already part of the school choir.[1] He moved to Austria in 1997, then under Insingizi when they as a group decided to further their music knowledge and enrol at a music conservatory in Graz, Austria.[2]

Education

He attended Mahlabezulu Primary School and for his secondary education he went to Ihlathi Secondary School in the township of Tshabalala in Bulawayo and Nhlambabaloyi Secondary in Ntabazinduna. He studied music theory and Accordion at the Johann Fuchs Music Conservatorium in Graz, Austria for 3 years.[3][4]

Career

He rose to fame with his much appreciated and celebrated outfit Insingizi in 2004 through the debut album, Spirit of Africa. His first music album was The Spirit of Ubuntu in 2006. He released his second solo album, Vocalism in 2012 after releasing the debut album The Spirit of Ubuntu in 2006. He then released his third solo album, Manyanyatha in 2016.[5][6][7] In January 2018, he held a show at the Bulawayo Theatre with local singer Nkwali, dubbed From Bulawayo to the World, the show was meant to celebrate music from the city.[8][9] He has also sang the theme song for the 2018 Oscar nominated film, Watu Wote.[10]

His album, UManyanyatha was then re-released internationally on 26 June 2020 under Canadian record label Naxos, with additional songs digitally re-mastered and with a new title UManyanyatha – Songs from the Soul of Zimbabwe.[11] Explaining how he came up with the title name for his third album:

Manyanyatha is my nickname that my uncle gave me as a kid. I am told every time music was played on radio or TV I stood up and sang along and danced. This is how the name Manyanyatha was born. So I am paying tribute to those that encouraged me to sing when I was growing up.[12]

Awards and nominations
  • Nominated for an Austrian World Music Award 2015 for the album Vocalism.[13]
  • Awarded the Zimbabwe Achievers Awards (UK)for Service to Music and Cultural Promotions in 2019.[14]
  • Awarded with a National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) for Outstanding Artist in the Diaspora Award in 2020.[15][16]
  • Nominated for the Bulawayo Arts Awards 2020

Discography
  • The Spirit of Ubuntu: (Full album 2006)
  • Vocalism: (Full album 2012)
  • Umanyanyatha: (Full album 2016)
  • Umanyanyatha: Songs from the Soul of Zimbabwe Full album 2020)
  • IBAMBENI feat Moyoxide: (Single 2020)
  • Ngiyabongamina: (Single 2020)
  • MASIYEPHAMBILI: feat various artists: (Single 2020)

References
  1. "I was born a musician: interview with Vusa Mkhaya". bulawayo24.com. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  2. "Vusa Mkhaya readies new album". bulawayo24.com. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  3. "Bulawayo's top 10 showbiz exports". southerneye.co.zw. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  4. "Vusa Mkhaya cuddles giant lizard, giant snake". bulawayo24.com. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  5. "Zimbabwe's Vusa Mkhaya on the joy of singing". bbc.com. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  6. "Vusa Mkhaya becomes first Zimbo to top Australia iTunes charts". chronicle.co.zw. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  7. "10 Interesting Facts About Vusa Mkhaya". thespaper.com. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  8. "Vusa Mkhaya, Nkwali bring Austria vibe to Bulawayo". chronicle.co.zw. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  9. "Nkwali, Vusa Mkhaya remember home". chronicle.co.zw. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  10. "Vusa Mkhaya _"Watu Wote" from the Film Watu Wote". earground.com. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  11. "Mkhaya to re-release 3rd album". newsday.co.zw. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  12. "Vusa Mkhaya releases album title video". sundaynews.co.zw. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  13. "AUSTRIAN WORLD MUSIC AWARDS 2015: WINNERS ANNOUNCED!". musicexport.at. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  14. "ZAA UK releases 2019 Chairman's Honorary Awards list". nehandaradio.com. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  15. "Bulawayo artistes rule at Nama 2020". chronicle.co.zw. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  16. "2020 NAMA awards winners list". diamondfm.co.zw. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
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