Margaret Singana

Margaret Singana (193822 April 2000), born Margaret M'cingana, was a South African musician. She is perhaps best known for her Xhosa song "Hamba Bhekile". An English-language version of the song, "We Are Growing", was used as soundtrack to the South African TV series Shaka Zulu.

Early life Margaret Nomvula M'cingana was born in Queenstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa, the daughter of Agnes M'cingana. In the 1950s, she moved from Queenstown to Johannesburg in the then Transvaal, where she found work as a domestic servant.

Music career While she was working as a domestic worker, Singana was discovered singing as she was cleaning. Her employers were so impressed that they recorded her voice and sent the tape to a record company. The producers of the musical Sponono, written by Alan Paton, gave her a part as a chorus singer in 1964. "Singana" was an adaptation of her surname "M'cingana", meant to make it easier for white people to pronounce.

In the 1970s, Singana started performing with The Symbols. In 1972, she made "Good Feelings" with the band, the single reached 2 on the old LM Hit Parade. In 1973, Singana was cast as the lead singer in the musical Ipi Tombi, and soon made herself famous with the song "Mama Tembu's Wedding". In 1977, Singana's song "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Loved You" became a hit. She had a stroke in 1980 and suffered from bad health for many years Her 1984 album Isiphiwo Sam is more traditional, with the band Bayete providing backup.

Personal life and legacy Singana was married to jazz bassist Mongezi Velelo.

In 2005, her work was remembered posthumously with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the South African Music Awards.

Discography Studio albums

Lady Africa (1973) Love Is The Power (1974) Stand By Your Man (1975) Where Is The Love (1976) Mama Tembus Wedding Tribal Fence (1977) Nothing To Fear (1981) Isiphiwo Sam (1984)