The Voice of Africa (Kelly Khumalo album)
| The Voice of Africa | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 9 October 2020 | |||
| Genre | Afro Pop | |||
| Label | Universal Music | |||
| Producer |
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| Kelly Khumalo chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Voice of Africa | ||||
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The Voice of Africa is the ninth studio album by South African singer Kelly Khumalo. It was released on October 9, 2020, by Universal Music. It was produced by Mondli Ngcobo.
The album was certified gold in South Africa.
Background
On February 13, 2020, Kelly announced that she had started recording her ninth studio album on her Instagram account.
Singles
"Empini" was released as album's lead single on June 19, 2020, as well as accompanying music video. The song peaked number one on South Africa Afro Pop Music charts.
"Esiphambanweni" featuring Hlengiwe Mhlaba was released on September 11, 2021, as the third single, peaked number one on South Africa Gospel charts.
Commercial performance
The Voice of Africa (TVOA) was certified gold in South Africa on May 20, 2021.
The album tracks "Empini" 4× platinum, "Esiphambanweni" 2× platinum, and "Ngathwala Ngaye" certified platinum.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Nok'khanya" | 6:50 | |
| 2. | "Kuyenyukela" | 6:34 | |
| 3. | "Empini" | 4:49 | |
| 4. | "Loshona Nini" | 3:47 | |
| 5. | "Undithatha Kancinci" | Asanda Mvana | 4:22 |
| 6. | "Ngathwala Ngaye" (featuring Mondli Ngcobo) | 4:28 | |
| 7. | "Awazi Lutho" | 4:31 | |
| 8. | "Esphambanweni" (featuring Hlengiwe Mhlaba) | 6:23 | |
| Total length: | 42:00 | ||
Accolades
The Voice of Africa was nominated for Best Afro Pop Album at the 27th South African Music Awards.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | The Voice of Africa | Best Afro Pop Album | Nominated |
Personnel
Credits for The Voice of Africa are adapted from AllMusic.
- Asanda Mvana - composer, producer
- Kelly Khumalo - vocals, composer
- Nduduzo Makhathini - producer
- Mondli Ngcobo - composer, producer
- Hubert Batundi Muisha - producer
The Voice of Africa (Live)
| The Voice of Africa | |
|---|---|
| Live album by | |
| Released | November 12, 2021 |
| Venue | Ster Kinekor, Rosebank |
| Studio | Universal Music |
| Genre | Afro Pop |
| Length | 51:00 |
| Producer | Mondli Ngcobo |
The Voice of Africa is a live album by South African singer Kelly Khumalo. It was recorded at Ster Kinekor, Rosebank in November 2021.
The album incorporated elements of maskandi and traditional folk music, and gospel.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Nok'khanya" | 5:58 |
| 2. | "Undithatha Kancinci" | 3:32 |
| 3. | "Ngathwala Ngaye" (featuring Mondli Ngcobo) | 5:44 |
| 4. | "Kuyenyukela" | 5:58 |
| 5. | "Loshona Nini" | 4:24 |
| 6. | "Awazi Lutho" | 7:08 |
| 7. | "Esiphambanweni" (featuring Hlengiwe Mhlaba) | 9:04 |
| 8. | "Empini" | 9:20 |
| Total length: | 51:00 | |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa (RISA) | Gold | 10,000‡ |
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‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Release history
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Edition(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 9 October 2020 |
|
Universal Music | Standard |