BONGEZIWE MABANDLA

Bongeziwe Mabandla was born in a small town called Tsolo outside Umtata in the Eastern Cape in a single parent household. At an early age Bongeziwe showed a great love and passion for music.
He attended the Lady Grey Arts Academy where he was exposed to different art forms and this is also the place where he learnt guitar.
Bongeziwe then went to study drama and music at AFDA in 2004 at this stage he started to develop his own style mainly in an unplugged manner. His preferred manner of language in delivery is Xhosa sometimes fusing English.
Bongeziwe’s music has a very heavy folk sound and is very much influenced by the artists like Tracy Chapman, Simphiwe Dana, Jabu Khanyile, and Lauryn Hill. His music has a rhythmically grass-roots vibe while fusing elements from styles like Mbaqanga, soul, and hip-hop and Dub.
He himself say’s his sound is “Inspirational, uplifting, evolutionary type music”

Bongeziwe has been performing at music venues like Bassline (Newtown) for the “MAKE SOME NOISE”, sessions, he is also part of this years Levi’s vintage Sundays 09 series ,Bongeziwe also plays at open mics and poetry sessions, making appearances at various curious culture venues i.e. Monday Blues, ko’spotong , House of Nsako ,crazy 88 .round Joburg. ,He has made some TV appearances on shows such as “weekend live” on sabc 2,”youth expression” sabc Africa. ,Bongeziwe’s other work is acting ,he is currently acting on the South African popular Soapie“GENERATIONS”
Late 2008 saw him releasing independently an EP called “UMLILO” with Producer Paulo Chibanga from dub group 340ml and hip hop group Tumi and the volume. Together they are currently developing some work for a full album that is due to be released later this year.
The label has also gone as far as securing Bongeziwe as one of the MTN Exploaded sponsored artists. This will give fans access to coded Bongeziwe downloads.

Having already completed a music video for his first single “Isizathu” Bongeziwe like fire will set the Industry ablaze.

For more information and bookings, contact 340ml Music on 082 5044 553 or dubstars@gmail.com