South African songbird, Zahara, dies at 36. Did you know these 10 things about her?

South African songbird Bulelwa Mkutukana, artistically known as Zahara, has died in a Johannesburg Hospital at the age of 36 after being hospitalized reportedly for liver complications.

Here are 10 things you may not know about her.

1. Zahara sold 100, 000 copies (double platinum) of her debut album Loliwe in just 19 days of its release, becoming only the second South African artiste to attain such a feat within the said time, after the late Brenda Fassie.

2. On May 1, 2012, at the annual South African Music Awards, Zahara won eight awards, including “Best Female Artist” and “Album of the Year”.

3. In 2012, Zahara was invited by Nelson Mandela to his home to perform a private bedside concert, which later culminated into the singer composing “Nelson Mandela” in his honor and released it as an EP.

4. In early 2017, Zahara signed with Warner Music South Africa and went on to release her fourth studio album Mgodi which went gold after only six hours.

5. In December 2021, Zahara made her television debut as guest judge for Idols South Africa season 17.

6. In 2019, Zahara opened about up her battle with alcohol addiction.

7. In July 2014, Zahara’s younger brother was murdered in East London.

8. In 2013, Zahara released her second studio album, Phendula, which won three South African Music Awards for Best Selling Album, Best R&B, Soul and Reggae Album and Best Female Artist of the Year.

9. Zahara started singing in her school’s choir when she was six years old, and at the age of nine she was asked to join the senior choir because of her strong voice.

10. Zahara released her first live DVD entitled “The Beginning Live” in 2012, featuring X-Factor USA contestant LeRoy Bell and was certified platinum in one day by the Recording Industry of South Africa.

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