Bongeziwe Mabandla (ZA)
From Tsolo
Popularity
Bongeziwe Mabandla has one upcoming show in the Netherlands: on November 20, 2026 at Melkweg, Amsterdam.
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About
Bongeziwe Mabandla sings in isiXhosa over acoustic guitar, and that combination alone sets him apart in the folk pop world. Based in Johannesburg but rooted in the Eastern Cape town of Tsolo, he built a devoted following through intimate, emotionally direct songwriting. His debut album Umlilo landed him in the top ten of the Radio France Internationale Discoveries Awards, and his second album Mangaliso pulled him further into the spotlight with a SAMA nomination for Best Alternative Album. The music video for the single Bawo Bam, featuring Spoek Mathambo, picked up awards at two film festivals. His third album iiMini arrived in 2020, and at the 27th South African Music Awards he won Best Alternative Album. His fourth album amaXesha, produced by Tiago Correia Paulo, pushed into Xhosa soul territory, blending Afro folk, electronic textures, contemporary soul, and soft rock. That adventurousness paid off when amaXesha won Best African Pop at the 18th Metro FM Music Awards. He has taken his music to stages across the globe, including Reeperbahn Festival, WOMEX, and the Lake of Stars Festival in Malawi.
