IT is not every day that a charming young woman takes up the ancient beat of her ancestors — men who ruled by the spear — and combine it with the centuries-old message of the Bible to create beautiful music.
BY KHANYILE MLOTSHWA
Bulawayo-born Duduzile Ndlovu, who is based in Johannesburg, South Africa, has burst onto the music scene with a compelling 10-track album, Muhle Ubaba (God is Good), whose lyrics are all in isiNdebele, draped in the maskandi beat.
“I chose the maskandi beat for my music because after considering all the beats available, I thought it went well with my Ndebele language,” she said.
Ndlovu was promoting her album in Bulawayo during the weekend, where she held impromptu shows with her backing dancers at four shopping centres in the townships.
She drew sizable audiences who were left spellbound with her strong switching between tunes, parts and notes — comfortably.
“It has always been my wish to stand on my own in music. I only went to the studio four years ago. I was backing other musicians at that time. I met a lot of challenges in trying to come up with this album. I had money problems. I had wanted to release this album in 2013, but had no money,” she said.
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Other songs on the album are Udumo, where Ndlovu thanks and praises God for all that He has done for her, Sengiyavuma, which is about repentance, Abazali Bami, a tribute to parents and Woza Mmeli, a song that anticipates the return of Christ to save the world.
In Yekani Umona, she addresses her enemies, imploring them to pray for her talent as well as her friends, Wangibulaleni, warns murderers of judgment day, Umoya Wami, is a prayer to God to strengthen one to preach the gospel of God.
The other two tracks are a remix of the title track and an instrumental of Yekani Umona.
