Soweto Gospel Choir: Colorful Sounds of Joy and Hope
I first discovered the Soweto Gospel Choir back in December of 2005. I was stunned and captivated by photographs of the singers at the time, and had not yet heard their music. (See amazing high res photos)
“Bursting with colour” - The Courier Mail Brisbane, Australia
“Nothing can really prepare you for the riot of exuberance and depth of emotion” - The Scotsman
“Meticulous and unstoppable …spirited and spectacular” - The New York Times
“A truly otherworldly sound that literally takes the breath away …dazzling” - Edinburgh Review
After winning 2 Grammy awards, they are becoming more well known around the world.
I was reminded of them again, when my daughter Priscilla spent 6 months working in an orphanage last year in Johannesburg, near Soweto. So I began exploring their music more deeply. One of the first things you might notice is the colorful clothing. Suddenly, as they begin singing you become deeply aware of how powerful, colorful, joyful and beautiful this gospel music can be. (Gospel means “good news”.) The traditional melodies and incredible harmonies, combine with exuberant and contagious smiles that often stun stoical western audiences. The power of the music comes from an inner joy — the joy of a people filled with optimism and hope — after decades of oppression, struggle, sorrow, and sadness — the music explodes with the power of Good News.
In an Independent News (UK) interview the choir’s music director Lucas Deon Bok talked about the difference between his choir and others, like Ladysmith Black Mambazo:
“We have brought a new sound, the sound of liberation, joy, optimism and hope,” he says. “It’s the [joyful] sound of post-apartheid South Africa. Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s message was about struggle, and it sought to bring awareness about our situation to the outside world. It was the music of protest. We are singing out of triumph and gratitude…”