Soweto Gospel Choir

             Soweto Gospel Choir

Soweto Gospel Choir was formed in November, 2002, and has achieved incredible success both in South Africa and around the world, having been hailed as a “South African music phenomenon”

                Soweto Gospel Choir Playlist



The choir’s first album “Voices from Heaven” went on to reach the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s World Music Chart within three weeks of its release in the US. Since then, they have recorded five albums and won two Grammy Awards in the World Music category, an Emmy Award for their collaboration with U2 for ESPN’s television promotion of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, received four SAMAs and a Metro FM award. In 2010, the choir’s recording with Peter Gabriel was nominated for an Oscar, and that same year, they were the first South African artist to have performed at the Academy Awards.

In 2003 the choir won its first award, a Helpmann Award, Australia’s prestigious Performing Arts Award, for “Best Contemporary Music Concert”.
This success was followed when they won a 2003 American Gospel Music Award for “Best Choir”
In the same year, they won an American Gospel Music Award for “Best International Choir”.
In December 2006 they performed at Sun City, South Africa, for Oprah Winfrey and 200 of her V.I.P. guests, including Mariah Carey, Mary J Blige, Tina Turner, Patti Labelle, Sydney Poitier and Quincy Jones.

On 11 February 2007, Soweto Gospel Choir received its greatest accolade, a Grammy Award for their second CD “Blessed”, in the category “Best Traditional World Music”.
At the same time, they were nominated for the 26th International Reggae and World Music Awards, held at the Apollo Theatre, Harlem, on 5 May, in the category “Contribution to World Music”, alongside Jimmy Cliff, Salif Keita, Youssou N’Dour and Ziggy Marley.
In May 2007, the choir won a SAMA Award (South African Music Association Award) in the Category “Best Live Performance DVD”.

In February 2008, the choir was awarded a second Grammy Award for their third album “African Spirit”, in the “Best Traditional World Music” category

Soweto Gospel Choir received its third Grammy nomination in December 2008, this time in the category Best Contemporary World Music, for their album, “Live at the Nelson Mandela Theatre”.
The song “Down To Earth” from the blockbuster Wall-E movie, their collaboration with Peter Gabriel, won a Grammy in the Best Movie Song category.
In February 2009, the choir became the first South African artist to perform at the Academy Awards, when they sang “Down To Earth”, the Gabriel/Newman Oscar-nominated song, with John Legend.

In December 2010, Soweto Gospel Choir received its fourth Grammy nomination, in the Best Traditional World Music category, for its album “Grace”. The choir was featured alongside the London Philharmonic Orchestra in the song “Baba Yetu” and on the album “Calling All Dawns”, both of which won Grammys in February 2011.

The choir has toured the world extensively, performing at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall, Sydney Opera House, London’s Royal Festival Hall, as well as at Johannesburg’s Nelson Mandela Theatre. They have performed and collaborated with world-renowned artists such as Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Jon Legend, U2, Aretha Franklin and the Harlem Gospel Choir as well as with local favourites Vusi Mahlasela, Johnny Clegg, the Bala Brothers and Lira.