Zahara (South African musician)
Zahara | |
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Zahara performing in Nairobi, 2013 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Bulelwa Mkutukana |
| Also known as | Zahara |
| Born | 9 November 1987 East London, South Africa |
| Died | 11 December 2023 (aged 36) Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Genres | Afro-soul |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 2009–2023 |
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Bulelwa Mkutukana (9 November 1987 – 11 December 2023), known by her stage name Zahara, was a South African singer, songwriter and guitarist. Her music was classified loosely as "Afro-soul", and she sang in Xhosa, her native language, as well as in English.
After signing a record deal with TS Records, Mkutukana's debut album, Loliwe (2011), went double platinum. Her second album, Phendula (2013), produced three chart-topping singles "Phendula", "Impilo", and "Stay". Zahara's third album, Country Girl (2015), was certified triple platinum. Following her departure from TS Records, she signed a record deal with Warner Music. Her fourth album, Mgodi (2017), was her best-selling album and was certified platinum, while her fifth album, Nqaba Yam (2021), peaked at number 1 on iTunes.
Her accolades included seventeen South African Music Awards, three Metro FM Awards, and one Nigeria Entertainment Award. Zahara was on the 2020 list of the BBC's 100 Women. She appeared as a guest judge on the seventeenth season of Idols South Africa in 2021.