Next up on the 2023 Bassline Live at The Lyric Theatre series, are Africa’s legendary Pop-duo Mafikizolo, presenting The Mafikizolo iDwala Live Experience, for the first time ever, on Saturday 26th August 2023, at the Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City. Tickets are available from R350.00 at Computicket. With the duo having just been awarded the Metro FM Lifetime Achievement Award, and their iDwala album already reaching Platinum status, this is the perfect moment to celebrate and share in their success story. Their story is a masterclass in relevance, longevity and grace.

“This Live Experience, as with all the Bassline Live at The Lyric Theatre shows, will be a first of its kind experience. In staying with the high quality, bespoke, collaborative and theatrical shows recently presented on the series, such as the sold out shows of Msaki’s Delta Love Experience this past March and the Sun El Musician & Friends experience in 2022, to name a few. The Mafikizolo iDwala Live Experience, will not disappoint.” Says Bassline Live’s Brad Holmes.

“We have not had an intimate live session with our fans and supporters in a very long time and this makes it super exciting for us.” Says Nhlanhla Mafu of Mafikizolo. “Also, we have not had a chance to properly introduce and present the album to our fans so this performance will give us an opportunity to showcase the album itself. So we want our supporters to come, open minded and ready, to be serenaded with new songs and sounds from the iDwala album. We will of course perform their favorite Mafikizolo classics as we will be taking them through the Mafikizolo journey. We therefore encourage them to come dressed in their favorite Mafikizolo Era as we not only celebrate the album but the milestone as well.”

Adds Mafikizolo’s Theo Kgosinkwe, “What’s going to be great about the iDwala live experience is that we are going to take the audience through our musical journey, we want the audience to the enjoy music that they grew up listening to, we want them to enjoy the music, fashion and dance experience of Mafikizolo. We encourage them to dress up in their Kwela attires to add the element of fashion in this experience. We will also be joined by friends of Mafikizolo on stage to celebrate the Mafikizolo iDwala Live experience.”

The pair says the iDwala album takes fans through the journey of Mafikizolo, how it all started and how it is still going. This is reflected in the choices of collaborations, the influences seeping into the sound and the approach they took. Theo explains: “We titled this album iDwala, because we have stood the test of time. We have been through it all, wins, losses, struggles, fails, successes… through the storm and back, and Mafikizolo is still here.”

“Bassline is excited to have Mafikizolo on this platform as the relationship between us has been a long one.” Says Paige Holmes of Bassline Live. ” It dates right back to 2004, when Mafikizolo were the opening act at the ( now closed) Bassline Newtown venue. It is fitting that we host these legends on the Bassline Live at The Lyric Theatre Series, as we share the ethos of tenacity having been in the live music industry for a long time. Mafikizolo are 25 years in the making, with Bassline Live having been established in 1994 and weathering the past 28 years in similar ways; by moving with the times and staying relevant with the trends via being inspired by popular culture and our talented youth. Mafikizolo are the soundtrack to our lives, we can’t think of a single South African big occasion, like weddings, birthdays and anniversaries that are not backed by a Mafikizolo hit! They represent popular culture then and now. This show is going to be a 2023 highlight and should not be missed. It’s an opportunity to treat oneself and loved ones to come sing, dance, dress the occasion and celebrate life, love and everything in between.”

It has been 25 years since Mafikizolo burst on the local music scene. A quarter of a century later, the Afro-pop band still oozes energy, going strong, filling up venues, performing all over the world and winning legions of new fans. Their story is a masterclass in relevance, longevity and grace.

August 2022, the duo Nhlanhla Mafu and Theo Kgosinkwe, released their 12th album iDwala, a tribute to their staying power. iDwala means a boulder and a rock of ages. It speaks to how they have been a dependable voice in the industry, worth emulating and an inspiration to younger generations of music makers.

Looking back over the years, Nhlanhla says it’s all grace. “We thank God constantly, we don’t take the many years we have behind us for granted.”

Theo agrees: “That is why we titled this album iDwala, because we have stood the test of time. We have been through it all, wins, losses, struggles, fails, successes… through the storm and back, and Mafikizolo is still here.”

The pair says iDwala takes fans through the journey of Mafikizolo, how it all started and how it is still going. This is reflected in the choices of collaborations, the influences seeping into the sound and the approach they took.

iDwala boasts incredible ballads, Afro-house tunes, Afropop tastes to suit trends and styles of today. The message remains that of love and celebrating it. It also glorifies the presence of God in their lives. The offering caters for all audiences across the age spectrum, those who frew up on and with Mafikizolo and new fans from the 2000 generation.

Singles like Mamezala featuring Sun-El Musician and Simmy and Thandolwethu featuring Sun-El Musician and co-written by Msaki have already set the tone for iDwala.

Spectacular collaborations with Ami Faku on Nguyelona, Sjava on 10K, Danya from Blaq Diamond on 10K featuring Sjava and Loco Loco featuring Murumba Pitch elevate iDwala as a showcase of the finest South African musicians at the moment.

The magic of super producers such as Mondli Ngcobo on songs like Uhamba Nathi and Shonamalanga makes iDwala a powerful release. And typical of Mafikizolo, they have unearthed new talent that has brought a fresh new flavour to their sound, take for example Vula and Fatela.

Mafikizolo released the self-titled debut album in 1997 when they were still a trio, the third member being Tebogo Madingoane who passed away in 2004. It was their 2000 hit Lotto, from the album Gate Crashers, that catapulted them to the heights of fame and recognition.

Ironic, that a song about winning the lottery would translate in them hitting the big time in music and setting them on a path to greatness.

Their albums Six Mabone, Van Toeka Af, Kwela and Sibongile cemented their place in the music landscape. Nhlanhla’s melodic voice, vintage fashion and style evolution accompanied by her trademark sunglasses became a fixture in entertainment, while Theo’s crooning, his dance moves, suits and hats set him apart from his peers.

The 2013 album Reunited launched them to a bigger international audience with the smash hit Khona featuring Uhuru and Mapiano taking over dancefloors in Lagos, Nairobi, DaresSalaam, Accra and the rest of the world. It was followed up by 20 in 2017 marking two decades of the band. The album contained collaborations with the likes of Wizkid, Syleena Johnson, Jah Prayzah, Yemi Alade and DJ Ganyani.

It is through sheer hard work, determination, consistency and respect for the craft that Mafikizolo has emerged as one of the most preeminent groups on the African continent with agrowing following. There is nothing to slow them down as they charged forward to the next 25 years.

Nhlanhla reflects: “We stood the test of time and are still going strong. We celebrate that we have come a long way and we still have a great time and being grateful for the gift of life. We sometimes wonder what did right for God to choose us. We are blessed to still have the momentum and energy to push good music. It’s never easy for bands to go on for a long time, even when they get back together they may struggle to have the same impact of the past years, but our story is different and unique.”

Adds Theo: “Statues of our faces are made of rocks and they carry a strong meaning. With iDwala we connected with the vision of us being like a solid rock that stays for generations.

Winds may blow, rain may fall, but the rock stays unshaken. We are proud of our story and journey and we hope to continue inspiring our followers and the industry. Mafikizolo is a global brand with a footprint in Africa. We would love to release a deluxe album of iDwala which will feature our brothers and sisters from the continent.”

iDwala bookmarks the milestone 25th anniversary of Mafikizolo. A proudly South African band synonymous with timeless love music and a celebration of life. Theo Kgosinkwe and Nhlanhla Mafu have not veered from their winning formula as they bring back ballads and energetic Afro-pop and Afro-house tunes. The album is about honouring God for the grace of

25 years of their journey and recognising that it’s not a small feat that the band is still going strong after so many years.

On Mamezala they worked with Sun El Musician and Simmy. The collaboration came about after Mafikizolo approached him as their stablemate at Universal Music. The tune about a mother-in-law lands itself as a laidback wedding song with its mixture of Afro-pop and house. It carries Sun El’s signature and Simmy’s presence plus the sublime Mafikizolo artistry. It is a winning combination and the chemistry is evident.

Thandolwethu also features Sun El Musician and was co-written with Msaki. It is a celebration of undying love that conquers adversity in the face of enemies. With its scintillating beats, it sits comfortably in the Afro-pop space.

Kwanele is another Sun El Musician collaboration. While it is about a failed relationship and walking away from the heartache after trying everything, the beauty of the song cannot be denied.

10K, a remake of the 90s hit by the band Twins features Sjava and Danya from Blaq Diamond contributed to the song writing. Reflecting on the creative process, Theo says he has always wanted to record a Twins song. “As a song writer I realise that this is a spiritual calling. I guess God sends these ideas to me. I called Sjava and he did his verse and it was a perfect marriage between Mafikizolo and Sjava.” The result is a love ballad with a unique nostalgic quality.

Mondli Ngcobo lends his talent on Uhamba Nathi, a ballad with gospel sensibilities. The melodies are beautiful and Mondli’s writing style is amazing on a song that talks about people who have done one wrong.

Mondli also worked on Shonamalanga, a love ballad about finding love and celebrating the fulfilment that comes with being in love with someone who loves you for you.

To achieve a fresh sound, the band sought to work with new artists and young producers who understand Mafikizolo and have their ear on the ground. One of the collaborations is with Ami Faku on Nguyelona. “We felt she was a brilliant song writer, and her voice is amazing.

We are a pop band and when you do pop, you have to go with the times without losing yourself and your sound. You can be versatile with pop and we have achieved that,” says Nhlanhla.

Fatela is a collaboration with new talent from Soweto. It has a message of love as a young man assures his girlfriend that he is going to hustle for them to have a better life and the young woman responds that he treats her well and she feels like a queen and gives a promise that she will wait for him to return. The song came about when the band scouted new songwriters at the end of 2019, and due to Covid-19 pandemic disruption work to produce iDwala was halted.

On Tribute, the band honours musicians and acknowledge the role music plays in people’s lives. The song remembers the late Tebogo Madingoane, the third member of Mafikizolo and other artists. The message is that, even if you pass on, your music will keep us going.

Loco Loco is produced by Sakhile, co-written with Danya and features Moromba Peach on vocals . It has a unique take of Afro-pop with its infectious groove and fun element. While it is steeped in Zulu styles and melodies, it still has a modern touch.

Vula featuring Aymos on vocals boasts a special Afrotech sound. The dance song is produced by young acts and talks about opening oneself up to love.

The message of gratitude and love permeates iDwala and on Uhamba Nathi, Mafikizolo goes spiritual as they acknowledge the grace of God in the past 25 years of their existence.