Bulawayo girl shines at SA's Metro FM awards

by Arts reporter

2013 February 25 10:35:33 | 4512 Views

THE star continues to shine for South Africa-based Afro-pop singer Berita Khumalo who scooped the Best African Pop Album at the Metro FM awards held in Durban on Saturday.

The 21-year-old Zimbabwean singers' debut album Conquering Spirit was voted as the best in a tightly contested category featuring the likes of Unathi and Zonke.

The Bulawayo-born singer clad in a flamboyant blue dress was at a loss for words as she was pronounced winner. Conquering Spirit took South Africa by surprise as it sold out last year.

Although she has not yet gained as much popularity in the country as she has across the Limpopo, she has often been compared to South Africa's enterprising Zahara who shot stardom with her debut album Loliwe.

Her hit song Uthandolwethu marked Khumalo's ascendancy in the music industry in Mzansi where she has developed a large fan base. Her album has tracks in Xhosa and Ndebele.

A vocalist, guitarist and songwriter, Khumalo grew up in Bulawayo's Nketa 6 suburb and relocated to South Africa in 2010 to study for a diploma in Financial Information Systems at Walter Sisulu University. An ecstatic Khumalo wrote on her twitter page on Sunday morning:

"Good morning I haven't slept; I see no need to close my eyes to live my dream! This is my dream. Thank you. I humble my self before you. God Bless you".

The Eastern Cape-based Berita was part of the Kalawa Jazmee crew that performed in the city last December and she took to the stage to play one of her tracks but surprisingly she did not get any recognition, a sign that she is yet to build a fan base in the country.

Khumalo has since joined Kalawa Jazmee Records, a recording stable which is co-owned by Bulawayo born Oscar Mdlongwa aka Oskido whose track Tsa Mandebele was voted song of the year.

Other popular stars that scooped awards at the glamourous event include Professor, DJ Pepsi, newcomers Donald and Zonke among others.

Metro FM

Source: TC