28 Facts About Sibongile Khumalo

Sibongile Khumalo was a South African singer and song writer.

Sibongile Khumalo sang classical, jazz, opera and traditional South African music.

Sibongile Khumalo was noted for singing at the inauguration of Nelson Mandela in 1994, as well as the final of the Rugby World Cup the following year.

Sibongile Khumalo was appointed to the Order of Ikhamanga in 2008.

Sibongile Khumalo's mother worked as a nurse; her father, Khabi Mngoma, was a Professor of music.

Sibongile Khumalo inspired her to pursue music and Khumalo started learning when she was eight years old.

Sibongile Khumalo studied music at the University of Zululand, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts from that institution.

Sibongile Khumalo taught at her alma mater, University of Zululand, and the Madimba Institute of African Music during the 1980s.

Sibongile Khumalo served as the Arts Centre coordinator at the FUNDA Centre.

Sibongile Khumalo began her career in singing at the Kippies Jazz International in 1992.

Sibongile Khumalo went on to win the Standard Bank Young Artist Award at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown the following year.

Sibongile Khumalo's show which sold-out, called The Three Faces of Sibongile Khumalo, involved a mix of jazz, opera, and local indigenous music.

Sibongile Khumalo sang at the 75th birthday of Nelson Mandela in 1993, as well as at his inauguration as President of South Africa one year later.

Sibongile Khumalo gave her the popular moniker of South Africa's "First Lady of Song".

Sibongile Khumalo subsequently led the national anthems of South Africa and of New Zealand at the final of the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

Sibongile Khumalo later revealed in 2017 that this was "the one and only time I've ever watched a rugby match, at any level, of any kind".

Sibongile Khumalo released her debut album, titled Ancient Evenings, the following year.

Sibongile Khumalo sang as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Verdi's Requiem when The Bach Choir under David Willcocks toured South Africa in 1997.

Sibongile Khumalo featured as a soloist for symphony orchestras in South Africa, and performed as the title character in Carmen, Amneris in Aida, and Azucena in Il trovatore for national theatre operas.

Sibongile Khumalo went on to perform internationally at the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Barbican Centre, Kennedy Centre, and the HetMuzik Theater in Amsterdam.

SAMRO would later become the centre of a scandal regarding the underpayment of royalties to artists, much of this taking place during Sibongile Khumalo's time working for the organisation.

Sibongile Khumalo performed in an Opera Africa production in Oslo, Norway.

Sibongile Khumalo was awarded Silver class of the Order of Ikhamanga in 2008.

Sibongile Khumalo was granted a Doctor of Music honoris causa one year later by Rhodes University in Grahamstown.

Sibongile Khumalo released her final album, Breath of Life, in 2016.

Sibongile Khumalo cited financial and artistic difficulties for the seven-year hiatus, explaining how the time she spent recording in a studio was sporadic as an independent artist.

Sibongile Khumalo reportedly trained as an inyanga during this time.

Sibongile Khumalo was 63, and suffered a stroke following a long-term period of illness prior to her death.