Zwai Bala
Zwai Bala (1975-) Composer, kwaito performer, actor and musical director.
Contents
Biograhy
Born Mzwandile Bala.
In 1986, at the age of 11, he reached the semi-finals of the The Shell Road to Fame. Zwai was the first black pupil to be admitted into the Drakensberg Boys Choir School. He then continued his music studies at St Stithians College in Johannesburg.
He co-founded the kwaito group TKZee. This group released singles such as Take It Eezy, Phalafala and the ever-popular Shibobo. After school, he was awarded a scholarship to pursue Bachelor of Music studies at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music. After completing his first year at the Academy he returned home at which time the album he had worked on with TKZee prior to his departure was nominated for a SAMA Award. He decided not to return to Scotland and see where the success of the album would take him and his school friends.
He later pursued a Master's Certificate in Orchestration for Film and TV through Berklee Music in Boston.
With his brothers Loyiso and Phelo, he formed the group, The Bala Brothers in 2006, and also the company Bala Brothers Productions which focuses on music as well as pitching for TV and movie projects.
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
Theatrical works include compositions for Soweto Story (Deon Opperman, 2007, working with Janine Neethling) and the music for Tsotsi the Musical (2018).
Has had extensive television experience with performances on local soapies and even hosting various programmes. He has tried his hand at cooking on the “Red Cake-Not The Cooking Show”, dance on “Strictly Come Dancing”, he’s been a judge on “PopStars” and “Pump Up The Volume” and was a mentor on “Clash Of The Choirs”.
Over the years, he has become famous for his choral arrangements.
Awards, etc
He has won awards as a musical director, composer, singer, songwriter, arranger, teacher and public speaker.
In 2011, an album on which Zwai worked (Soweto Gospel Choir’s “Grace” album) was nominated for two Grammy Awards including a nomination in the World Music category at the 53rd annual ceremony.
Sources
Sheldon Rocha Leal. 'Iconic South Africans V: Zwai Bala'. Medium. 23 July 2020.
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