The Most Famous

SINGERS from South Africa

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This page contains a list of the greatest South African Singers. The pantheon dataset contains 4,381 Singers, 9 of which were born in South Africa. This makes South Africa the birth place of the 65th most number of Singers behind New Zealand, and Montenegro.

Top 10

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary South African Singers of all time. This list of famous South African Singers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of South African Singers.

Photo of Miriam Makeba

1. Miriam Makeba (1932 - 2008)

With an HPI of 70.30, Miriam Makeba is the most famous South African Singer.  Her biography has been translated into 78 different languages on wikipedia.

Zenzile Miriam Makeba (; 4 March 1932 – 9 November 2008), nicknamed Mama Africa, was a South African singer, songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist. Associated with musical genres including Afropop, jazz, and world music, she was an advocate against apartheid and white-minority government in South Africa. Born in Johannesburg to Swazi and Xhosa parents, Makeba was forced to find employment as a child after the death of her father. She had a brief and allegedly abusive first marriage at the age of 17, gave birth to her only child in 1950, and survived breast cancer. Her vocal talent had been recognized when she was a child, and she began singing professionally in the 1950s, with the Cuban Brothers, the Manhattan Brothers, and an all-woman group, the Skylarks, performing a mixture of jazz, traditional African melodies, and Western popular music. In 1959, Makeba had a brief role in the anti-apartheid film Come Back, Africa, which brought her international attention, and led to her performing in Venice, London, and New York City. In London, she met the American singer Harry Belafonte, who became a mentor and colleague. She moved to New York City, where she became immediately popular, and recorded her first solo album in 1960. Her attempt to return to South Africa that year for her mother's funeral was prevented by the country's government. Makeba's career flourished in the United States, and she released several albums and songs, her most popular being "Pata Pata" (1967). Along with Belafonte, she received a Grammy Award for Best Folk Recording for their 1965 album An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba. She testified against the South African government at the United Nations and became involved in the civil rights movement. She married Stokely Carmichael, a leader of the Black Panther Party, in 1968, and consequently lost support among white Americans. Her visa was revoked by the US government when she was traveling abroad, forcing her and Carmichael to relocate to Guinea. She continued to perform, mostly in African countries, including at several independence celebrations. She began to write and perform music more explicitly critical of apartheid; the 1977 song "Soweto Blues", written by her former husband Hugh Masekela, was about the Soweto uprising. After apartheid was dismantled in 1990, Makeba returned to South Africa. She continued recording and performing, including a 1991 album with Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie, and appeared in the 1992 film Sarafina!. She was named an FAO Goodwill Ambassador in 1999, and campaigned for humanitarian causes. She died of a heart attack during a 2008 concert in Italy. Makeba was among the first African musicians to receive worldwide recognition. She brought African music to a Western audience, and popularized the world music and Afropop genres. Despite her cosmopolitan background, she was frequently viewed by Western audiences as an embodiment of Africa: she was also seen as a style icon in both South Africa and the West. Makeba made popular several songs critical of apartheid, and became a symbol of opposition to the system, particularly after her right to return was revoked. Upon her death, former South African President Nelson Mandela said that "her music inspired a powerful sense of hope in all of us."

Photo of Dave Matthews

2. Dave Matthews (b. 1967)

With an HPI of 52.15, Dave Matthews is the 2nd most famous South African Singer.  His biography has been translated into 25 different languages.

David John Matthews (born January 9, 1967) is an American musician and the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist for the Dave Matthews Band (DMB). Matthews was born in Johannesburg, and moved frequently between South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States while growing up. He started playing acoustic guitar at the age of nine. From 1991 to 2003, Matthews predominantly focused on songwriting and performing with the Dave Matthews Band, which he started in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1991. He also has done various solo performances and produced other records. During the period from 2000 to 2010, his band toured constantly, selling more tickets and earning more money than any other act in North America. The band's 2012 album Away from the World made them the only group to have six consecutive studio albums debut at number one on the Billboard charts. This record was extended to seven consecutive number one albums with the 2018 release, Come Tomorrow. In addition to music, Matthews has had multiple acting roles. He has also won two Grammy Awards: one with the Dave Matthews Band in 1997 for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group ("So Much to Say") and one in 2004 for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance ("Gravedigger") from his solo album.

Photo of Solomon Linda

3. Solomon Linda (1909 - 1962)

With an HPI of 45.99, Solomon Linda is the 3rd most famous South African Singer.  His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.

Solomon Popoli Linda OIG (1909 – 8 September 1962), also known as Solomon Ntsele ("Linda" was his clan name), was a South African musician, singer and composer best known as the composer of the song "Mbube", which later became the pop music success "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", and gave its name to the Mbube style of isicathamiya a cappella later popularized by Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

Photo of Yolandi Visser

4. Yolandi Visser (b. 1984)

With an HPI of 43.99, Yolandi Visser is the 4th most famous South African Singer.  Her biography has been translated into 26 different languages.

Anri du Toit (born December 1, 1984), known professionally as Yolandi Visser (stylised as ¥o-Landi Vi$$er), is a South African singer, rapper, and songwriter. She is the female vocalist in the alternative hip-hop group Die Antwoord. Her partner in the group is Watkin Tudor Jones. Visser appeared in the 2015 Neill Blomkamp film Chappie.

Photo of Brenda Fassie

5. Brenda Fassie (1964 - 2004)

With an HPI of 40.35, Brenda Fassie is the 5th most famous South African Singer.  Her biography has been translated into 24 different languages.

Brenda Nokuzola Fassie (3 November 1964 – 9 May 2004) was a South African singer, songwriter, dancer and activist. Affectionately called MaBrrr by her fans, she is also known as the "Queen of African Pop", the "Madonna of The Townships" or simply as The Black Madonna. Her bold stage antics earned a reputation for "outrageousness"; ironically, her Xhosa name, Nokuzola, means "quiet", "calm", or "peace".

Photo of Theuns Jordaan

6. Theuns Jordaan (1971 - 2021)

With an HPI of 38.61, Theuns Jordaan is the 6th most famous South African Singer.  His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Theuns Jordaan (10 January 1971 – 17 November 2021) was a South African singer-songwriter.

Photo of ZP Theart

7. ZP Theart (b. 1975)

With an HPI of 37.55, ZP Theart is the 7th most famous South African Singer.  His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.

ZP Theart (born ZP De Villiers Theart, 27 May 1975) is a South African singer, songwriter and the former lead vocalist for the British power metal band DragonForce and American rock band Skid Row. Theart was also hired by Riot Games for the voice of Karthus in the songs "Deathfire Grasp" and "Last Whisper" by the metal band Pentakill.

Photo of Letta Mbulu

8. Letta Mbulu (b. 1942)

With an HPI of 37.42, Letta Mbulu is the 8th most famous South African Singer.  Her biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Letta Mbulu (born 23 August 1942) is a South African jazz singer who has been active since the 1960s.

Photo of Miriam Stockley

9. Miriam Stockley (b. 1962)

With an HPI of 37.07, Miriam Stockley is the 9th most famous South African Singer.  Her biography has been translated into 15 different languages.

Miriam Arlene Stockley (born 15 April 1962) is a British singer. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and her work is influenced by the African music of her home country. Her distinctive vocalise style gained international acclaim when Karl Jenkins launched the Adiemus project with Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary, with Stockley as the lead singer. In 1992 she performed as a backing vocalist at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, which was broadcast live from the Old Wembley Stadium in London.

Photo of Zahara

10. Zahara (1987 - 2023)

With an HPI of 33.58, Zahara is the 10th most famous South African Singer.  Her biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Bulelwa Mkutukana (9 November 1987 – 11 December 2023), known by her stage name Zahara, was a South African singer, songwriter and guitarist. Her music was classified loosely as "Afro-soul", and she sang in Xhosa, her native language, as well as in English. After signing a record deal with TS Records, Mkutukana's debut album, Loliwe (2011), went double platinum. Her second album, Phendula (2013), produced three chart-topping singles "Phendula", "Impilo", and "Stay". Zahara's third album, Country Girl (2015), was certified triple platinum. Following her departure from TS Records, she signed a record deal with Warner Music. Her fourth album, Mgodi (2017), was her best-selling album and was certified platinum, while her fifth album, Nqaba Yam (2021), peaked at number 1 on iTunes. Her accolades included seventeen South African Music Awards, three Metro FM Awards, and one Nigeria Entertainment Award. 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.

People

Pantheon has 14 people classified as South African singers born between 1909 and 1993. Of these 14, 9 (64.29%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living South African singers include Dave Matthews, Yolandi Visser, and ZP Theart. The most famous deceased South African singers include Miriam Makeba, Solomon Linda, and Brenda Fassie. As of April 2024, 5 new South African singers have been added to Pantheon including Solomon Linda, Letta Mbulu, and Miriam Stockley.

Living South African Singers

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Deceased South African Singers

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Newly Added South African Singers (2024)

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Overlapping Lives

Which Singers were alive at the same time? This visualization shows the lifespans of the 5 most globally memorable Singers since 1700.