Who is Gospel Artist?
Gospel musicians play a form of religious music to express their personal Christian beliefs or those of the Christian community.
Top Gospel Artist In South Africa
1. Benjamin Dube
Benjamin Dube is a multi-talented music artist and speaker whose songs and messages have been a blessing to the lives of many.
Unlike so many other music artists, Benjamin Dube didn’t have to struggle to become famous as his family had already paved the way for him.
This is not to say he did not have to work hard. As early as the age of 7, Benjamin Dube was already singing with his family internationally. Dube was born in 1962 into the Dube family, who formed a gospel music group that they named the ‘Dube Family Singers.’
2. Rebecca Malope
Rebecca Malope is another sensational South African gospel artist. On her Instagram bio, she calls herself the ‘Queen of Gospel.’ If you have ever been under Dr. Rebecca’s ministration, you will agree that she deserves that title.
She is a songwriter, singer, and presenter who has been in the South African music industry for over 30 years. She has won various awards like the OKTV award for Best Female Artist and the DSTV Viewer’s Choice Award in her music career.
3. Winnie Mashaba
Growing up in a small village and being raised by a single parent who had seven other children to take care of did not stop Winnie Mashaba from being successful.
After Grade 11, Dr. Winnie believed so much in her music career that she gave up school to chase her dreams, and in less than two years, she was already in the limelight. Her breakthrough in the South African gospel music industry came after her audition for Solly Moholo.
4. Khaya Mthethwa
Khaya Mthethwa had stringent and religious parents who ensured that their child followed the way of the Lord. And Khaya did just that. He was born and raised in Durban Kwa-Zulu Natal and grew up loving the Lord, which made him direct his musical talent into singing gospel music.
Mthethwa started his music career as a backup singer and had his breakthrough after being the first black South African to win Idols South Africa, Mzansi’s biggest talent show that airs on Mzansi Magic. Currently, Khaya Mthethwa is a member of the internationally renowned choir, Joyous Celebration.
5. Deborah Fraser
Deborah Fraser was born on September 6, 1965, in KwaMashu, South Africa, and she started her music career as a backup singer.
She had her breakthrough in the music industry after playing backup roles for legendary South African musicians such as Brenda Fassie, Lucky Dube, and even Yvonne Chaka Chaka. In 2000, she released her first album – Abanye Bayombona – which sold over 700,000 copies across South Africa.
6. Dr. Lindelani Mkhize
Lindelani Mkhize is to South African gospel music what Nelson Mandela is to the Mzansi people. Born with a natural love for music, he started his career as a choir member in his local church.
When he gained admission into a polytechnic – the Durban University of Technology – his course of choice was Chemical Engineering. However, he knew his passion lay elsewhere and applied for a change, of course, to study music – without his parents’ knowledge.
After graduating, he became a maths and music teacher in a private school and organized music groups in town. This was how he met Chicco Twala, who was already a music producer at the time.
7. Dr. Tumi
Dr. Tumi, as fondly called, was born Tumisang Makweya on July 10, 1981. He started making music as early as age nine when he played the keyboard at his father’s church. He started his journey to fame in 2003 after coming out as one of the Top 20 contestants in the Coca-Cola Popstar competition, which had about 16,000 participants. He would later join the Intense Gospel music group.
The title of “Dr.” attached to his name is not an honorary one. Dr. Tumi studied medicine at the Medical University of Southern Africa but gave it up for his true purpose – music.
Today, Dr. Tumi is an award-winning music artist and the first gospel music artist to organize a gospel music concert and fill up the 20,000-capacity Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg.
Who is the king of the gospel in South Africa?
Benjamin Dube is known as the “king of gospel,” and he’s a multiple award-winning artist who signed his first record deal in the United States.