Albums by Letta Mbulu
ALBUMCulani NamiLetta Mbulu
ALBUMIn The Music The Village Never EndsLetta Mbulu
ALBUMNot Yet UhuruLetta Mbulu
ALBUMLettaLetta Mbulu
ALBUMThere's Music In the AirLetta Mbulu
ALBUMNaturallyLetta Mbulu
ALBUMFree SoulLetta Mbulu
ALBUMLetta Mbulu SingsLetta Mbulu
Artist Playlists
Letta Mbulu Essentials
Jazz, funk, R&B and Afropop from a vital South African voice.
Artist Biography
Born in Soweto in South Africa, in 1942, Xhosa tribe member Letta Mbulu followed in the footsteps of Mariam Makeba and Hugh Masekela, leaving behind her homeland in 1964 to escape the repressive yoke of Apartheid. Upon emigrating to the United States, she began to forge her sound, blending her South African traditions with American soul and pop, collaborating with jazz saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderly and Harry Belafonte, who served as a mentor to the singer. Starting in the late ’60s, Mbulu released a series of albums with esteemed producers like David Axelrod, Herb Alpert, and Quincy Jones, who featured her vocals on his soundtracks for the miniseries Roots as well as the film The Color Purple.
Hometown
Johannesburg, South Africa
Genre
Pop