Mafikizolo: Celebrating South African heritage through music and fashion
Multi-award winning music duo Mafikizolo performed at Loftus Stadium at the Scorpion Kings Live concert and had the audience, which had different age groups and demographics dancing and singing along.
Image: Bhengu Studios
Award-winning duo Mafikizolo performed at the Scorpion Kings Live with Friends concert at Loftus Stadium and had the audience on lock with their powerful stage performance.
Over the two-decade spanning career, Mafikizolo has been able to consistently adapt to each music season while still maintaining their magic. This was evident, as the performance had all the generations present singing and dancing.
Mafikizolo released the self-titled debut album in 1997 when they were still a trio, the third member being Tebogo Madingoane, who passed away in 2004. Their 2000 hit "Lotto", from the album "Gate Crashers", catapulted them to the heights of fame and recognition.
Mafikizolo have built a career that is a part of South African musical heritage, thanks to their unforgettable anthems.
Songs such as “Kwela” introduced South Africa to their sound, which was an infusion of kwaito and kwela. They showed range with their 2003 love song hit "Emlanjeni", which smashed records, solidifying their presence in the industry.
Their song "Ndihamba Nawe" has become a staple at almost every wedding celebration across the continent. Mafikizolo mostly sings in isiZulu, but uses expressions from other languages to connect with other cultures.
Not has music, earned Mafikizolo recognition, but also their bright and bold fashion choices, and wearing local South African labels and their own labels.
In 2009, they took time off to focus on their solo projects, and in January 2013, they reunited and dropped the album “Reunited”. This album had runaway hits like "Khona" and “Happiness”. The album won eight South African music awards in 2014 and three Metro FM Music Awards.
Not only has music, earned Mafikizolo recognition, but also their bright and bold fashion choices, and wearing local South African labels and their own labels.
Image: Supplied
One of Mafikizolo's greatest achievements lies in their pioneering role in the resurgence of a unified African music scene. Their collaborations with artists across the continent have fostered an incredible cross-pollination of sounds, leading to shared growth for numerous markets and artists.
Their 2014 collaboration with Davido, “Tchelete (Goodlife)” earned them huge success; the music video has 29 million views on YouTube. The song earned multiple nominations at the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs), including Song of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Best Collaboration.
Their album “Mafikizolo 20” was filled with collaborations from Africa, that cemented their names on the African continent. Songs like “Love Potion”, produced by the legendary DJ Maphorisa, saw the group adapt with the times and tap into the sounds of Afrobeats and fuse it with their own flavour.
They had everyone dancing and singing along from Jozi to Lagos and decades later are legends.
Having performed in over 33 countries across the globe, Mafikizolo are cultural ambassadors of South Africa, uniting people through music.
In 2022, the Afro-pop band released their 12th album "iDwala", a tribute to their staying power.
iDwala means a boulder and a rock of ages. It speaks to how they have been a dependable voice in the industry, worth emulating and an inspiration to younger generations of music makers.
Looking back over the years, Mafu previously shared that it’s all grace. “We thank God constantly, we don’t take the many years we have behind us for granted.”
Kgosinkwe added: “That is why we titled this album 'iDwala', because we have stood the test of time. We have been through it all, wins, losses, struggles, fails, successes… through the storm and back, and Mafikizolo is still here.”
The pair previously explained that "iDwala" takes fans through the journey of Mafikizolo, how it all started and how it is still going.
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