The Bala Brothers Explained

The Bala Brothers
Years Active:–present
Label:Bala Brothers Production
Current Members:
  • Zwai Bala - Born 15 February 1975
  • Loyiso Bala - Born 22 September 1979
  • Phelo Bala - Born 24 March 1991

The Bala Brothers are a vocal trio from the Kwa Nobuhle Township outside Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. The group consists of brothers Zwai Bala, Loyiso Bala, and Phelo Bala. The brothers first gained prominence when Zwai Bala joined the Drakensberg Boys' Choir School in 1988, becoming the first black member of the previously segregated group six years before the end of apartheid.[1]

Family life

The brothers were born into a musical family. The brother's parents first met singing in church choirs, and their grandfather was a choral composer.[2]

Individual Careers

Zwai

Zwai Bala, the eldest of the brothers, was born on 15 February 1975. In 1988, at age 13, Zwai made history by becoming the first black member of the then-segregated Drakensberg Boys' Choir School. In 1995, after his time in Choir School, Zwai joined Kwaito group TKZee.[3] At the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2011, Zwai also was nominated for the Grammy for Best Traditional World Music Album in the World Music Field for his production work on Soweto Gospel Choir's Grace.[4] Zwai also performed with TKZee at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.[5]

Loyiso

Loyiso Bala was born on 22 September 1979. Some years later, as Zwai did in 1988, Loyiso also joined the Drakensberg Boys' Choir School. In 2013, Loyiso was appointed UNAids National Goodwill Ambassador.[6] In 2015, Loyiso won his first South African Music Awards since 2010, his third SAMA since his first in 1999 when he won the award for Best Faith Album for his release Power Love Sound.[7]

Phelo

Phelo, the youngest of the three brothers, was born on 24 March 1991. He followed in his brothers' footsteps and also attended the Drakensberg Boys' Choir School. In 2011, he joined multi-award-winning gospel ensemble "Joyous Celebration" being with the group until 2015. He also released his self-titled debut solo album in 2011.[8] In 2014, Phelo confirmed his calling as a sangoma, a high spiritual honour in indigenous South African culture.[9]

Collective Rise to Prominence

In 2006, the Bala Brothers came out with their first collective release, B3, on 28 September 2006, on Sony BMG Entertainment Africa.[10] While the brothers continued to work on solo projects individually, they also continued to tour as a group. After Sony BMG dissolved, the brothers released another LP, Live at Emperors Palace, on 7 May 2013, through their own label, Bala Brothers Production. Later that year, the Bala Brothers performed at the Cape Town Stadium in a memorial service Nelson Mandela, after his death in December 2013.[1]

Warner Classics

On 3 March 2015, Warner Classics, the classical division of Warner Music Group released the Bala Brothers US Debut, the self-titled Bala Brothers (Live). The album was recorded live at the Lyric Theatre in Johannesburg. By 12 March, the brothers' new album had reached 8th on Billboards World Music Charts.[11]

PBS Special

In the fall of 2014, the Bala Brothers signed a deal with PBS to air a live performance of their forthcoming album with Warner.[12] The broadcast aired in beginning in March 2015, and the brothers also released a DVD of the performance with Warner.

Discography

Albums

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Powell . Alicia . South Africa's Bala Brothers set sights on U.S. music market . Reuters . 14 May 2015 . 19 June 2015.
  2. Web site: EXCLUSIVE: First Look at The Bala Brothers Performing Anti-Apartheid Song "(Something Inside) So Strong" on PBS . Classicalit.come . 19 January 2015 . 19 June 2015.
  3. Web site: Nandipha Pantsi . Bala Brothers: making music a family business . The Citizen. South Africa . 19 September 2014 . 19 June 2015.
  4. Web site: Grammy Awards 2011: Winners and nominees for 53rd Grammy Awards . Letimes.com . 7 March 1965 . 19 June 2015.
  5. Web site: World Cup set for colourful opening . https://web.archive.org/web/20150619020214/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2010/m=6/news=world-cup-set-for-colourful-opening-1232245.html . dead . 19 June 2015 . FIFA . 10 June 2015 . 19 June 2015.
  6. Web site: SA singer appointed UNAids ambassador . Channel24.co.za . 19 June 2015.
  7. Web site: Kyle Zeeman . Loyiso Bala ecstatic over SAMA win . Channel24.co.za . 20 April 2015 . 19 June 2015.
  8. Web site: Jocelyn Uithaler . Album Review: Phelo B**** . Sunday Times (Johannesburg) . 27 June 2011 . 19 June 2015.
  9. Web site: Phelo Bala confirms his sangoma calling . Channel24.co.za . 11 November 2014 . 19 June 2015.
  10. Book: Beyond Memory: Recording the History, Moments and Memories of South African ... – Max Mojapelo . Google Books . 19 June 2015. 9781920299286 . Mojapelo . Max . 2008 . African Minds .
  11. Web site: Richmond . Richmond . Bala Brothers climb up the Billboard Charts – Richmond's Random Ramblings . Randomramblings.co.za . 27 March 2015 . 19 June 2015.
  12. Web site: IOLMobile . 18 June 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150619020411/http://mobi.iol.co.za/ . 19 June 2015 .