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| Brenda Fassie-afripopmag.com |
Two
words that have been used to describe her: “controversial” and
“bold”
by many and she indeed lived up to them. Brenda Nokuzola Fassie was born in
November 1964 in Langa, Capetown. Named after the American country singer
Brenda Lee, she was the youngest of nine children.
In
1981 at the age of 16, she left Capetown for Soweto, Johannesburg to seek her
fortune as a singer and later became a lead singer of a township music group
called Brenda and the Big Dudes.
Brenda
is well known for her hit songs such as “Weekend special” “Too late for mama”
“Nomakanjani” and “Vulindlela” among others. Some of the albums she released
include “Now is the time” “Memeza” “Nomakanjani” and Memeza was the best
selling album in South Africa in 1998 (www.history.org.za).
In
all her great achievements as an African Pop singer, Brenda had her weaknesses
which eventually lead to her downfall.
It is on record that Brenda suffered from a serious addiction of
cocaine. She was in and out of rehab to deal with the addiction. It was a
cocaine overdose that eventually lead to her death on the 9th of May
2004.
She
was indeed an icon in the South African music industry.Fassie indeed dominated
with her strong voice and boldness that she carried throughout her every
performance on any stage. A great measure of her importance to the South
African family was when Thabo Mbeki the then SA president, Nelson Mandela and
Winnie Mandela visited her bedside (during her last days) when she was admitted
after she collapsed at her home.
Be
that as it may be, we remember Fassie as a great entertainer who moved the
crowds and lifted people's spirits with her incredible zeal on stage. She will
forever be the Queen of African Pop {Irreplaceable###}.
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| Brenda Fassie-www.history.org.za |
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