Soweto Gospel Choir is a vocal ensemble, performing in 8 different languages. its performances are an inspirational program of tribal, traditional and popular African gospel.
Under the direction of the notable choirmaster David Mulovhedzi, the Soweto Gospel Choir, draws on the best talent from the many churches and communities in and around Soweto. Since the Choir began touring internationally in early 2003 they have performed to nightly standing ovations, sold-out houses and rave reviews.
As well as traditional African Gospel, the ensemble also performs “Amazing Grace,” “Paradise Road,” and music by Otis Redding and the soul-styled reggae of Jimmy Cliff. The ensemble also features traditional dancers and drummers and a dynamic four-piece band.
In October 2004 the Choir completed a highly successful five week tour of the United Kingdom. In August they returned to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where they performed their new show Blessed to packed houses and rave reviews. A highlight for the Choir was the opportunity to onstage with Anastasia, Queen, Peter Gabriel, Cat Stevens and Annie Lennox, to an audience of 26,000 at Nelson Mandela’s Aids Fundraising concert in Cape Town in December 2003, which was broadcast around the globe on MTV.
The Soweto Gospel Choir commenced its first tour to the United States in January 2005 to great acclaim. This followed a two-month tour of Germany and Spain.
In 2024, The Soweto Gospel Choir teamed up with Australian electronic music artist Groove Terminator (Simon Lewicki) to release an exceptional album titled History of House, produced by GRAMMY-winning producer Dennis White (Latroit). This album reinvents iconic dance tracks from the previous 50 years by fusing the choir’s captivating, soulful vocals with Groove Terminator’s irresistible electronic dance beats. It features predominantly live performances of tracks originally from the 1970s to the 2000s, with the choir recording primarily in Zulu.
Highlighting an appreciation for the African origins of dance music, the collaboration with Groove Terminator and the choir’s work with artists like U2 and Beyoncé is evident. The album includes Zulu renditions of tracks like “Good Life” by Inner City, “Everybody’s Free (To Feel Good)” by Rozalla, Bob Sinclar’s “World Hold On,” and a rework of Christopher Cross’s “Ride Like The Wind.”
Discography:
Voices from Heaven (Shanachie Records, 2005)
Blessed (Shanachie Records, 2006)
African Spirit (Shanachie Records, 2007)
Grace (Shanachie Records, 2010)
Freedom (Shanachie Records, 2018)
History of House (Gallo Records, 2024)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.