| Lulu Dikana | |
| Birth Name: | Lungisa Dikana |
| Alias: | Lulu |
| Birth Date: | 1978 12, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Kwazakhele, Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth, South Africa |
| Genre: | R&B, Pop, afrosoul |
| Occupation: | singer-songwriter, vocalist |
| Instrument: | Vocals |
| Years Active: | 1998–2014 |
| Label: | Sony |
Lungisa Dikana, (18 December 1978 – 3 December 2014), was a South African recording artist and vocalist.[1] Her music career shot to limelight in 2008 following the release of her debut album My Diary, My Thoughts. She died on 3 December 2014 after a short illness.[2]
Born into a musical family in Kwazakhele, a small town in Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth, Lulu began singing as a chorister in her local church at the age of 15.[3] Her father, Vuyiselie Dikana was a drummer for a band known as "Black Slave and the Flamingo". An alumna of Fort Hare University where she studied Law,[4] Lulu released her debut album titled My Diary, My Thoughts in 2008 produced by Nigerian-born music producer Wilson Joel . The album contained hit tracks like "Real Love" and "Life and Death".[5]
Following the success of her debut album, Lulu began working on her second album This Is the Life. The album was released in 2011 and went on to be nominated in three categories at the 2013 Metro FM Music Awards and "Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album" category at the 19th South African Music Awards.[6] [7] In October 2014, she released I Came To Love, her third studio album which earned her three nomination spots at the 21st South African Music Awards.[8] [9]
In 2009, Lulu was diagnosed of oesophageal perforation and underwent five oesophagus operations.[10] On 3 December 2014, she died in a hospital in South Africa after a short illness.[11] [12]
| Year | Award ceremony | Prize | Nominated work/Recipient | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 19th South African Music Awards | Best R&B / Soul / Reggae Album | This Is the Life | [13] | |
| Female Artist of the Year | Herself | [14] | |||
| 12th Metro FM Music Awards | Best Produced Album | This Is the Life | [15] | ||
| Best Female Album | |||||
| Best Contemporary Jazz Album | |||||
| 2015 | 14th Metro FM Music Awards | Best Female Album | I Came to Love | [16] | |
| 21st South African Music Awards | Female Artist of the Year | Herself | [17] | ||
| Best R&B / Soul / Reggae Album | I Came to Love | [18] | |||
| Best Producer of the Year | Herself (with Powella Tiemo) |
Until her death, Lulu was a born-again Christian and devoted to God. She was committed to the works of God and took going to church serious. [19] She is the older sister of Zonke, a South African singer-songwriter and record producer.[20] She had a son before her death.[21]