Rebecca Malope

Rebecca Malope is a multi-award winning South African gospel singer. She is known as African Queen of Gospel music through out her career that has been spinning for 30 years, she sold at least 10 million albums in South Africa making her one biggest selling artists in South Africa all the time. Since the beginning of her career she released 35 albums with most of them achieving multi-platinum status, platinum status and Gold status. From 2004 till date, she has been the hostess of the TV show It's Gospel Time. In 2013 she was one of the judges in Clash of Choirs South Africa .[1]

Career

Her musical story started in 1984. Driven by a burning desire to become South Africa’s most celebrated and admired songstress, at the age of 18 she and her sister Cynthia left their home township of Kanyamazane, near Nelspruit, and hiked 400 km to Evaton, from where they finally reached Johannesburg. In 1985 Malope entered Shell Road to Fame together with the band she was with, they were eliminated from the first round of the competition. In 1986 she meet Sizwe Zako at Gallo Studios and Sizwe remembered her from their unsuccessful auditions, Zako felt with his guidance Malope can win the Shell Road to Fame to enter the competition as solo artist. In 1987 Malope entered Shell Road to Fame as solo artist and in that year Rebecca Malope won Shell Road to Fame in category of Female Vocalist with song Shine On which was gospel song, the song was dedicated to political unrest during Apartheid in South Africa. Despite winning Shell Road to Fame struggled to find record company, finally she was given the recording contract by MFM but she was told that gospel music does not have sales she will have to do disco in order to sell. Furthermore to compete with Brenda Fassie, Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Mercy Phakela who were biggest female artists at the time. Sizwe Zako convinced the bosses of MFM to include one gospel song in Malope debut album Sthembile Kuwe, the song was well received than pop songs in the album, the album was called Rebecca. In 1989 Malope further released two albums in one year Thank you very much and Woza Lovey both albums reached platinum status. In 1990 Malope released Buyani the title track Buyani it was dedicated to struggle hero's particularly Nelson Mandela which it was the year he was released from Roben Island prison. The album achieved double platinum status and Rebecca Malope won Best Female Vocalist at the OKTV Awards beating Brenda Fassie. In 1991 she released her final pop album Saturday Nite as tradition like previous albums she included three gospel songs in the album.

In 1992 Malope released a full gospel album Rebecca Sings Gospel the album was well received by music critics, media and fans, it raised Malope fame to another level since she was the first gospel artist songs to be played together with mainstream music like pop, Afrikaans music to this date the album sold over one million copies and regarded as one of best gospel albums of all time in South Africa. Following the success of Rebecca Sings Gospel in 1993 Ngiyekeleni was released it followed the same success as previous album. In 1994 she released Umoya Wam the title track Umoya Wam' is known as Rebecca Malope signature track the album surpassed the previous records in terms of sales, Rebecca Malope won Cocoa Cola full blust in Best Established Local Artist win record of 10 million votes by listeners and further she won Best Contemporary Gospel Album in 1st South African Music Awards in 1995. The album was dedicated for peace in South Africa due to transition to Democracy in 1994. In 1995 she released Shwele Baba it broke the record at the time becoming the fastest selling album in South Africa, selling 100 000 within three weeks of release.

Rebecca has released 35 albums in a music career spanning more than 30 years to date. In 2009 she released her 30th album, entitled My Hero, containing double CDs. In April 2010 she released her 31st album Uzohamba Nami. On 14 March 2011, Malope released her 32nd album, Ukuthula (which translates as "Peace"). She was quoted in a local newspaper saying: “In Ukuthula people must expect rejuvenating sounds and I love the whole album. I decided on that name after thinking about the state the world is in today. People have no peace. There is war everywhere, even in churches. I want people to come together and more importantly have peace in their lives, so that we can have peace in the world".[2]

In 2003 she won a KORA All African Music Award for Best Gospel Singer.

Year Award Work Status
1987 Shell Road to Fame Best Female Vocalist Rebecca Malope Won
1990 OKTV Awards Best Female Artist Rebecca Malope Won
1993 Cocoa Cola Full blust music show: Best Established Local Artist Rebecca Malope Won
1994 Cocoa Cola Full blust music show: Best Established Local Artist Rebecca Malope Won
1995 South African Music Awards Best Female Artist Rebecca Malope Nominated
-South African Music Awards Best Contemporary Gospel Album Umoya Wam Won
1996 South African Music Awards Best Female Artist Rebecca Malope Nominated
- South African Music Awards: Best Contemporary Gospel Album Shwele Baba Nominated
- South African Music Awards Best Selling Album Shwele Baba First Runner up
1997 South African Music Awards Best Female Artist Rebecca Malope Won
South African Music Awards Best Selling Album Uzube Nam' Won
South African Music Awards Best Contemporary Gospel Album Uzube Nam' Nominated
Kora All African Music Awards Most Promising Female Artist Rebecca Malope Nominated
1998 South African Music Awards Best African Gospel Album Angingedwa Won
South African Music Awards Best Selling African Release Album Angingedwa Won
South African Music Awards Best Selling Album by South African Angingedwa Won
South African Music Awards Best Female Artist Rebecca Malope Nominated
1999 South African Music Awards Best African Gospel Somlandela Won
South African Music Awards Best Female Artist Rebecca Malope Nominated
Kora Awards Best Southern Africa Artist Rebecca Malope Nominated
2000 South African Music Awards Best African Gospel Album Ukholo Lwam' Nominated
Metro FM Music Awards Best Gospel Album Siyabonga Won
2001 South African Music Awards Best African Gospel Album Siyabonga Won
2001 Metro FM Music Awards Best Gospel Album Sabel'Uyabizwa Nominatec
2002 South African Music Awards Best African Gospel Album Sabel'Uyabizwa Won
Metro FM Music Awards Best Gospel Album Iyahamba Lenqola Won
2003 South African Music Awards Best African Gospel Album Iyahamba Lenqola Won
South African Music Awards Best Female Artist Rebecca Maalope for Iyahamba Lenqola Nominated
Kora Awards Best Female African Gospel Artist Rebecca Malope for Iyahamba Lenqola Won
Kora Awards Best African Music Video Iyahamba Lenqola Nominated
Metro FM Music Awards Best Gospel Album Hlala Nami Nominated
2004 South African Music Awards Best African Gospel Album Hlala Nami Won
Kora Awards Best Female African Gospel Artist Rebecca Malope for Rebecca & Tsepo Nominated
Metro FM Music Awards Best Gospel Album Rebecca & Tsepo Nominated
2005 South African Music Awards Best African Gospel Album Rebecca & Tespo Nominated
Metro FM Music Awards Best Gospel Album Rebecca Malope for Qaphelani Won
2006 South African Music Awards Best Female Artist Rebecca Malope for Qaphelani Nominated
South African Music Awards Best African/Traditional Gospel Album Qaphelani Won
South African Music Awards Most Popular Artist of the year Rebecca Malope Nominated
2007 South African Music Awards Best African Contemporary Gospel Album Umthombo Won
Metro FM Music Awards Best Gospel Album Amakholwa Nominated
2008 South African Music Awards Best African Traditional Gospel AlbumAmakholwa Nominated
SABC Crown Gospel Music Awards Best DVD Rebecca Live in Soweto Nominated
SABC Crown Gospel Music Awards Best Artist Rebecca Malope Won
2009 South African Music Awards Best African Traditional Gospel Album Uehovah Ungumadida Won
2010 Metro FM Music Awards Best Urban Gospel Album Uzohamba Nami Nominated
2011 South African Music Awards Best African Traditional Gospel Album Uzohamba Nami Nominated
Metro FM Music Awards Best Urban Gospel Album Ukuthula Nominated
2013 South African Music Awards Best Traditional Faith Music Album Rebecca Live In Concert Nominated
2014 South African Music Awards Best Traditional Faith Music Album Bayos'Khomba Won
South African Music Awards Best Female Artist Rebecca Malope for Bayos'Khomba Nominated
2015 South African Music Awards Best Traditional Faith Music Album Ama VIP Nominated
Metro FM Music Awards Best Urban Gospel Album Ama VIP Nominated
SABC Crown Gospel Music Awards Classic of All Time Umoya Wam Won

Discography

References

  1. ↑ "Rebecca Malope". Tvsa.co.za. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  2. ↑ "Gospel digest - March 09, 2011". Iol.co.za. Retrieved 17 October 2014.

External links

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