Yvonne Chaka Chaka

Yvonne Chaka Chaka (born Yvonne Machaka in 1965) is an internationally recognised South African singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur, humanitarian and teacher. Dubbed the "Princess of Africa" (a name she received after a 1990 tour), Chaka Chaka has been at the forefront of South African popular music for 27 years and has been popular in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Gabon, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast. Songs like "I'm Burning Up", "Thank You Mr Dj", "I Cry For Freedom", "Motherland" and the ever-popular "Umqombothi" ("African Beer") ensured Yvonne's stardom. The song "Umqombothi" was featured in the opening scene of the 2004 movie Hotel Rwanda.

As a young performer Yvonne was the first Black child to appear on South African television in 1981. Since then, she has shared the stage with persons such as Bono, Angelique Kidjo, Annie Lennox, Youssou N’Dour, the crossover group Appassionante, the classic rock band Queen and South Africans Johnny Clegg, Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela, to name a few. She has performed for Queen Elizabeth II, US President Bill Clinton, South African President Thabo Mbeki and a host of other world leaders.

Yvonne is a champion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, the United Nations MDG Envoy for Africa, and the Goodwill Ambassador for the Roll Back Malaria Partnership. She was chosen by Nelson Mandela as the first ambassador for his children's fund, and has also established her own charity, the Princess of Africa Foundation, using the name first given to her in Uganda. The Princess of Africa Foundation is a partner of the ACTION global health advocacy partnership. In 2012, she was the first African woman to receive the World Economic Forum's Crystal Award.

She teaches literacy part-time at the University of South Africa, sits on several boards of charitable organisations and NGOs, and serves on the board of the Johannesburg Tourism Company.

Life and career

Chaka Chaka was born in Dobsonville in Soweto. Chaka Chaka had it tough growing up. Her father died when she was 11 and her mother, a domestic worker, brought up three daughters on her meagre 40 Rand a month salary.

Chaka Chaka started singing at 19 in 1984 when Phil Hollis of Dephon Records discovered her in Johannesburg. Dubbed the Princess of Africa,” Yvonne experienced a meteoric rise as a music star of infectious pop melodies and dance music during the height of apartheid. Her début album was called "I’m in Love With a DJ'. Songs like "I'm Burning Up", "I Cry for Freedom", "Sangoma","Motherland" and the ever-popular, "Umqombothi" immediately ensured Chaka Chaka's status as a star on South Africa's mbaqanga music scene.

Sangoma was released in 1987 on Mercury Records . Its track listing was Sangoma, Come a Little Bit Closer, Private Lover, Save Me, Stimela and I'm Gonna Stop Loving You. Releasing hit after hit, Chaka Chaka's subsequent award-winning albums include "Burning Up", "Sangoma", "Who’s The Boss", "Motherland", " Be Proud to be African", "Thank You Mr DJ", "Back on my Feet", "Rhythm of Life", "Who's got the Power", "Bombani (Tiko Rahini)", "Power of Afrika", "Yvonne and Friends" and "Kwenzenjani". Throughout her illustrious career Chaka Chaka has met people like Nelson Mandela (singing at his 85th birthday party), the Queen and Oprah Winfrey.

"Mama Africa", Miriam Makeba said of her "She’s my baby!", Hugh Masekela adds that Yvonne is "my mad niece". Legends Dolly Rathebe and Dorothy Masuka describe Yvonne's music as "something that all should listen to".

When asked who she admired most, Chaka Chaka said,

Of the numerous world leaders Yvonne has met, she says her favourite is mentor and father figure, Nelson Mandela. He called her his “dear daughter.” “Madiba,” as he is affectionately known, recounted that it was Yvonne’s music that helped sustain him and others while confined as prisoners on Robben Island. He said,

South Africa.

Yvonne has four sons with her husband Tiny Mhinga, who is related to Mavivi Myakayaka Manzini and is the uncle to Lebohang Manzini. She has a degree and diploma from the University of South Africa, one in adult education, another in local government, management and administration. She also studied speech and drama at Trinity College, London, she graduated with a bachelor's degree in 1997.

Entrepreneurship

Chaka Chaka has her own music label and her own production company, as well as owning a limousine company together with her husband, Dr Mandlalele (Tiny) Mhinga.

Advocacy and humanitarianism

Yvonne is a champion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, the United Nations MDG Envoy for Africa, and the Goodwill Ambassador for the Roll Back Malaria Partnership. Chaka Chaka is also a board member of Information Technology Companies, Human Resource Development and Sandown Motors. She became the face of First National Bank (FNB) in 2001 and in 2006, she founded her own charity called The Princess of Africa Foundation.

The Princess of Africa Foundation is a partner of the ACTION global health advocacy partnership. In 2012, she was the first African woman to receive the World Economic Forum's Crystal Award. Recently, the launch of her documentary film, A Motherland Tour — A Journey of African Women, filmed over five years of travels around Africa, took her on a world tour to promote the grassroots successes of those engaged in the battle against HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, supported by the Global Fund.

Yvonne also serves as Ambassador for Nelson Mandela’s 46664 Campaign which raises global awareness of HIV/AIDS. She has also been ambassador to the University of South Africa (UNISA), City of Johannesburg Tourism, and South Africa’s Mpumalanga Province Tourism. Yvonne has taught literacy in South Africa’s townships, promoted the rights of women and works to protect children everywhere, and she is a Trustee of Tomorrow Trust, which educates orphans and vulnerable children.

She served as an Honorary Colonel in the South African Air Force.

In 2015 she signed an open letter which the ONE Campaign had been collecting signatures for; the letter was addressed to Angela Merkel and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, urging them to focus on women as they serve as the head of the G7 in Germany and the AU in South Africa respectively, which will start to set the priorities in development funding before a main UN summit in September 2015 that will establish new development goals for the generation.

She is part of the Ashinaga Kenjin-Tatsujin International Advisory Council, supporting orphaned students across Africa to access quality tertiary education.

Discography

Albums

• I'm Burning Up (1986)
• Sangoma (1987)
• Thank You Mr. DJ (1987)
• I Cry For Freedom (1988)
• The Power of Afrika (1996)
• Back On My Feet (1997)
• Bombani (Tiko Rahina) (1997)
• Princess Of Africa: The Best of Yvonne Chaka Chaka (1999)
• Yvonne and Friends (2000)
• Yvonne and Friends (2001)
• Kwenzenjani (2002)
• Princess of Africa, Vol. 2 (2002)
• Celebrate Life (2006)

Compilations

• The Princess of Africa: The Best of Yvonne Chaka Chaka (1995)
• The Princess of Africa: The Best of Yvonne Chaka Chaka Vol. 2 (2002)

Contributing Artist

• Urban Africa: Jive Hits of the Townships (1990)
• The Rough Guide to the Music of South Africa (1998, World Music Network)
• The Winds of Change: Words and Music of a Free South Africa (2004)
• 46664 - Part 2: Long Walk to Freedom (2004)
• Tales of African Folk: Southern Africa (2005)
• Hotel Rwanda - Motion Picture Soundtrack (2005)
• The Rough Guide to the Music of South Africa Vol. 2 (2006)
• Experience South Africa (2008)
• The Rough Guide to African Disco (2013, World Music Network)