Winnie Khumalo
Biography
As Winnie Khumalo grew up she developed a strong and beautiful singing voice. At 15, when she started singing, her natural talent launched her singing career. The independent and spirited Khumalo released her debut album, Hey Laiti, in 1988. While she was given recognition by the industry for her impressive vocal abilities, she also had to endure some criticism from people who said she copied Brenda Fassie, with whom she was working. Few people really know who Khumalo is. That is because for m...
As Winnie Khumalo grew up she developed a strong and beautiful singing voice. At 15, when she started singing, her natural talent launched her singing career.
The independent and spirited Khumalo released her debut album, Hey Laiti, in 1988. While she was given recognition by the industry for her impressive vocal abilities, she also had to endure some criticism from people who said she copied Brenda Fassie, with whom she was working.
Few people really know who Khumalo is. That is because for many years she lived in the shadow of the legendary Fassie, for whom she was a backing vocalist. She also doubled up as a filler whenever the pop icon was not able to make it on stage.
Khumalo does not mind in the least if she is compared to Fassie.
“I learnt more about music while I was with Brenda Fassie than I learnt anywhere else.
“She was my mentor and role model,” Khumalo says.
Khumalo pays tribute to Fassie on her album Happy Day, which she released last year.
In a song titled Ngikujongile, Khumalo appeals to people to stop fighting over Fassie’s estate and royalties.
“Whenever someone dies people fight over the deceased’s belongings instead of mourning. We should be ashamed of ourselves,” Khumalo complains.
On Happy Day, her voice is full and powerful.
She sings with that alluring purr that gives a hint of everything she’s got.
After taking a long break from the music industry, she joined Kalawa Jazmee Records five years ago.
The album opens with a house tune titled Drift Away. The song will take you down memory lane. Khumalo wrote the song herself, to tell people that she has made a decision to drift away from her old lifestyle.
She sings that she wants to climb new heights, where she wants to live her life to the full.
The 36-year-old believes that her new album will take the industry by storm.
“This album is what the music industry has been missing. The songs will take you to church, to wedding ceremonies, to clubs and to parties like there is no tomorrow,” she says confidently.
Khumalo says Kalawa Jazmee Records also wanted her to sing gospel music, but she felt she is not ready for it.
“I am not spiritually ready to commit to gospel music yet. I have a lot of sins to deal with. I do not want to be a fake like some gospel artists who are saturating the industry,” she says.
Her gospel tunes were produced by Sipho Mbele who works with gospel divas Deborah Fraser and Hlengiwe Mhlaba. And Khumalo delivers her messages like an angel from heaven.
She has a son with former world boxing champion Dingaan Thobela and a daughter with her ex-husband, the former bubble- gum musician Seabee of Thiba fame.
While she took a break from music, Khumalo busied herself with business.
She has also appeared in the TV drama Muvhango, featured on the Brothers Of Peace album Life iskoroko, and in Chicco Twala’s low-budget movie, My sh*t father and my lotto ticket. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.