Letta Mbulu

Letta Mbulu is a celebrated South African singer whose powerful voice and socially conscious music have made her a key figure in the world of Afro-jazz and soul. Born in Soweto in 1942, she began singing professionally as a teenager and was part of the groundbreaking musical King Kong. When apartheid made life and work in South Africa increasingly difficult, she moved to the United States in the 1960s, where she collaborated with a wide range of artists, including Cannonball Adderley, Harry Belafonte, and Quincy Jones.

Mbulu’s music is known for blending traditional South African styles with jazz, soul, and pop influences. Her songs often speak to themes of freedom, identity, and resilience—reflected in albums like "Not Yet Uhuru" and "There's Music in the Air." Letta Mbulu also lent her voice to film and television soundtracks, with notable contributions to the soundtrack of Roots and the film The Color Purple. A respected cultural ambassador, Mbulu remains an icon of South African music and a symbol of artistic resistance.

Genres

Afro Soul

Pop

R&b

Soul

Jazz

Funk

Ethno Jazz

Afro-jazz

Related Artists

Miriam Makeba

Hugh Masekela

Baaba Maal

Busi Mhlongo

Mahotella Queens

Cesária Evora

Salif Keita

Dorothy Masuka

Simphiwe Dana

Kamasi Washington

Angelique Kidjo

Youssou N'Dour

Latest Release

Nomali

Letta Mbulu

Ep - 6 Tracks - Released November 15, 2024