From Spinach to Zahara: A Look at ‘Loliwe’ Hitmaker’s Rise to Fame: “My Hope Is to Heal People”

• Singer Zahara, with the help of her guitar and her soothing voice, touched people with her music
• When she started out in the music business, she had a different name but decided to call herself Zahara
• The Mgodi singer passed away on 11 December 2023, and this is a look at her steady rise to fame

As the country mourns the loss of a music icon, Bulelwa Mkutukana, who will forever be remembered as the great Zahara, we see her rise to international stardom.

Zahara's humble beginnings

Singer and guitarist Zahara was born in the Eastern Cape in 1987. When she was in Primary school, Zahara found a passion for music at church.

She spoke extensively about this in her many interviews and passionately about the arts.

According to ZiMoja, Zahara named herself Spinach before she landed her big break. With the help of her guitar and her soothing voice, she touched people with her music, and she did it on the streets of her hometown.

Zahara lands recording deal with TS Records

DJ and entrepreneur DJ Sbu discovered the talented musician. He co-founded a recording company with politician TK Nciza called TS Records.

She released her debut album, Loliwe, in 2011, which gained her instant fame after selling like hotcakes just hours after its release.

Zahara then won numerous awards at the South African Music Awards and the Metro FM awards, among many others.

Five albums later, Zahara became a household name. In one of her recent posts, she mentioned how she aimed to tell stories through her music and heal people.

"This is my story. This is my song. I write journal entries, which I package into songs that I can share with the world. Each story holds a specific meaning and emotion that come alive through my songs and live performances on stage. My hope is to heal people through such stories and to let my fans know that they are not alone."

Zahara dies after 3-week hospital stay

The Mgodi singer passed away on 11 December 2023. Her relationship with DJ Sbu and TK Nciza became sour when she accused them of exploiting her.

Before her passing, Zahara mentioned how she suspected that the men owed her more than R10 million,

Her family issued a statement announcing her passing.

"She was a pure light, and an even purer heart, in this world. A beacon of hope, a gift, and a blessing to us and countless people around the world."

DJ Sbu and TK Nciza dragged after Zahara's passing

In a previous report by Briefly News, TS Records co-founders DJ Sbu and TK Nciza trended after the news of singer Zahara's untimely passing made headlines.

Old interviews of the singer speaking about her label disputes have been unearthed.