Birth name Bulelwa Mkutukana Years active 2011–present Genres Afro-soul | Name Bulelwa Mkutukana Nationality South African Role Singer-songwriter | |
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Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, poet, recording artist, performer Instruments Vocals, Acoustic guitar Labels TS Records, EMI South Africa Albums Loliwe, Phendula, The Beginning Live, Country Girl, Mari Banyanyi, Baju Baru, The Beginning, Nelson Mandela Siblings Nomonde Mkutukana, Mbangedwa Mkutukana, Mbuyiseli Mkutukana Parents Mlamli Mkutukana, Nokhaya Mkutukana Similar People DJ Sbu, LeRoy Bell, Kelly Khumalo, Brenda Fassie, Cassper Nyovest Profiles |
Zahara loliwe
Bulelwa Mkutukana (born 9 November 1988), best known by her stage name Zahara, is a South African singer-songwriter. She started singing in her school’s choir when she was six years old, and at the age of nine she was told to join the senior choir because of her strong voice.
Contents
- Zahara loliwe
- Zahara performs loliwe blankets and wine 44 nairobi kenya
- Early life
- Music career
- Discography
- Awards and nominations
- References

In 2011 Zahara released her debut album Loliwe, which went platinum in 13 days and double platinum after 17 days, selling over 100,000 copies in South Africa. The music video for her debut single, Loliwe, has surpassed the 5 million views mark on YouTube. On 1 May 2012, at the annual South African Music Awards, Zahara won eight awards, including "Best Female Artist" and "Album of the Year".

Zahara performs loliwe blankets and wine 44 nairobi kenya
Early life

Zahara was born as Bulelwa Mkutukana in the Phumlani Informal Settlement outside of East London in Eastern Cape, South Africa, where she lived with her parents Nokhaya and Mlamli Mkutukana. She is the sixth of seven children. She displayed her love for singing at age 6. She first came to wider attention when she was appointed the lead singer of a local Sunday school choir in Phumlani. Her stage name means "blooming flower"; as a child she was known by the nickname "Spinach".
Music career

Her music is classified loosely as "Afrosoul" and she sings in her native language, Xhosa, as well as in English. Her music has been described as a mixture between the styles that have been popularized by Tracy Chapman, and India.Arie.

Zahara's debut album Loliwe was released in 2011. The first issue sold out within 72 hours, and 19 days later, the album reached double platinum status in South Africa by surpassing the 100,000 sales mark. This made her the second musician after Brenda Fassie, who was also a Xhosa native, to reach this figure in such record time. Zahara released her first Live DVD which featured X-Factor USA contestant LeRoy Bell. The DVD reached platinum (according to the standards set by the Recording Industry of South Africa) in one day.

On 1 May 2012, at the annual South African Music Awards, Zahara won eight awards, including "Best Female Artist" and "Album of the Year". Zahara is the brand ambassador for the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital.