BREAKING! Afro-Soul singer Zahara dies aged 36
South African singer and songwriter Zahara, real name Bulelwa Mkutukana, has died at age 36. Known for her hit song “Loliwe,” the multi-award-winning musician passed away on Monday night at a private hospital in Johannesburg, with her fiancé Mpho Xaba by her side. The singer died shortly before nine in the evening, a source close to the muso told Sunday World.
“The family will release a statement soon. She was with Mpho when she passed away,” the source said. “I am getting calls from everywhere. I am in Cape Town and doing my best to get a hold of Mpho. I can’t get hold of him,” he further added.
Zahara was first brought to a medical ward, but as her health deteriorated, the private hospital moved her to the intensive care unit (ICU). The afro-soul singer’s condition worsened last week, and it was reported that she was unresponsive.
Zahara, on how she would like to be remembered.
Zahara’s Early Life And Career
Born in East London, in the Eastern Cape, in 1987, Zahara started her career busking on the streets of East London. After signing a record deal with TS Records by TK Nciza, Mkutukana’s debut album, Loliwe (2011), went double platinum. Her second album, Phendula (2013), produced three chart-topping singles, “Phendula,” “Impilo,” and “Stay.”.
Triple platinum certification was awarded to Zahara’s third album, Country Girl (2015). She left TS Records and subsequently signed a record contract with Warner Music. Mgodi (2017), her fourth album, was certified platinum and went on to become her best-selling album.
Her fifth album, Nyaba Yam, peaked at the top of the iTunes charts in the year 2021.
Her has bagged 17 South African Music Awards, three Metro FM Awards, and one Nigeria Entertainment Awards. Zahara was on the 2020 list of the BBC’s 100 Women. She appeared as a guest judge on the seventeenth season of Idols South Africa in 2021.
