Vuyo mokoena biography definition

South African gospel group

Joyous Celebration is a South African gospel group formed by Mthunzi Namba, Jabu Hlongwane and Lindelani Mkhize in 1994.

Their debut studio album Joyous Celebration, Vol. 9 (2005), became their best-selling album and certified 2 × platinum in South Africa. Joyous Celebration's accolades includes: 15 South African Music Awards, 2 Metro FM Music Awards, 2 One Gospel Awards, 2 Crown Gospel Awards and, 1 Africa Gospel Music Award.

History

In the early 1990s, Lindelani Mkhize, Mthunzi Namba and Jabu Hlongwane met each other at a concert in Durban, South Africa and became close friends. With different musical backgrounds and careers, the three friends came together and formed a group called "Family Factory" with different singers. Although Family Factory recorded their own music, the group often sang background vocals for many local and international artists that were touring South Africa.

In their interviews, the former members and founders of the group have shared how they (on one evening) performed at an empty venue in Cape Town with only few people attending their show and the record label, Sony Music Africa (which funded the group), withdrew their support for the group as they viewed the concept of Family Factory as a "waste of time", but they still continued to perform until more people attended their show on the next evening. During this era when traditional gospel music was huge thing in South Africa, Family Factory introduced a contemporary sound that w

Albums

Recently Popular

Albums with the most listeners in the last 7 days.

1. Legends

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   27 Nov 2008 · 16 tracks

2. Psalmist

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   1 Jan 2005 · 11 tracks

1. Legends

   305 listeners

   27 Nov 2008 · 16 tracks

2. Psalmist

   26 listeners

   1 Jan 2005 · 11 tracks

3. Ndilile

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   23 Aug 2023 · 1 track

4. Njalo

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   22 Jul 2023 · 1 track

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“Sing to the Lord a new song” – Psalms 149:1

Words by Alex Gwaze (Curator)
Questions by Alex Gwaze and Joanne Peters (Image Coach & Consultant)

Gospel is one of the biggest genres of music in any African community on any continent. This is because after centuries of oppression and persecution, Africans have developed a special kind of relationship with God. This has resulted in different forms of praise and worship that have spawned genres likes Blues, Gospel, Rock, Jazz, Soul and R’n’B. In Zimbabwe, one artist making a name for herself primarily through Gospel is Bulawayo Arts Award (BAA) winning singer Vuyo Brown.

Vuyo Brown was born Nokufeza Vuyolethu Ngwenya to parents who were both academics and music lovers. Her father would play the more live band inspired music of Lovemore Majaivana and Freddie Gwala, while her mother enjoyed the vocal performances of singers like Rebecca Malope and Vuyo Mokoena. However, it wasn’t until Vuyo’s mother took her to several student performances at the school where she taught, that Vuyo’s desire to sing surfaced. Soon after, like many Gospel artists before her, Vuyo joined her church choir at the tender age of 14. In addition she also joined several groups that included Destiny Praise, JPM, One Voice, and Creme Voices. In my opinion, Vuyo’s early exposure to the more immediate and emotional music of the Gwalas, groups and choirs is probably why she is one of the best live acts in Zimbabwe today. Since her breakthrough single “NdiJesu” in 2016, Vuyo has shared the stage with Berita, Hope Masike, Vusa Mkhaya, Bekezela, and Msiz’kay. And she has performed at the “UN at 75″ Online Concert, “Old Mutual’s International Women’s Day celebration”, “Music in Africa Live” and “The PiChani”, just to name a few. But it’s not just on stage that Vuyo has made a name for herself, she is also a pop chart favorite.

In 2018 she released her début album “Grace Fulfilled” and the hit song “Thula