Ziza Mhlongo
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Ziza Mhlongo
Take a new fresh and penetrating voice that oozes with sex appeal and sophistication; Add some raw and unmistakable guitar talent; Flavor with live percussion and piano; Simmer in Katie Melua; stir in some Dani Klein, spice with hints of Afro-Brasilica then pepper with Hip-Hop, Trip-Hop and Dub-Step and finally bake in the moody electronic flavors of Massive Attack, and VIOLA! You have ZIZA.
Ziza studied music at the University of Witwatersrand and in 1996 completed her BMUS (Bachelor of music) degree in ‘Performance and individual teaching’ majoring in Classical singing. Ziza’s taste in music however always spread widely. Her performances today include music of both Contemporary (Jazz, Lounge, Dance) and Classical genre. Soon after the completion of her music degree Ziza started up her private ‘School of Singing’. This studio is still running today, on a much smaller capacity, due to her many other commitments. She also teaches at Wits University, Crawford College, King David Linksfield and the Ridge school in Westcliff.
In 1994, Ziza ‘teamed up’ with the force of two D.Js and begun performing with the two as a trio called ‘Suplex’ at a well known Jo’burg ‘hang-out’, club ‘206’. The trio is still active today; performing what would be classified as ‘dance music’. They have performed on several occasions at the ‘South African fashion week’ events as part of a well known ‘Black Coffee’ fashion house showing. Her other collaborations include a ‘Jazzy/Lounge’music experiment with a producer/engineer Garth van der Merwe.One of their original compositions can be heard on a local CD compilation ‘Cape town 2am’published by ‘Sheer music’. Her collaboration with one of S.A’s Dance Music pioneers, Gary van Riet created a project called ‘Musique des Anges’. Its idea was to ‘merge’ Classical music (singing) with more contemporary, electronic music. Their first release can be heard on a South African compilation ‘Liquid lounge’ (‘Next music’, 2006) featuring some international names like ‘Moby’. One of their corporate performances includes a Sun City conference held in November 2006 for Discovery health clients, sharing the stage with the Princess of Africa, Ivonne Chaka Chaka.
As a Jazz quartet/trio/duo, Ziza has performed with some of S.A’s top musicians like Johnny Furie, Wessel van Rendsburg, Godfrey Mcina, Carlo Mombeli, Reza Khota, Jonathan Crossley, Russell Stirling, and Marcus Wyatt. This ‘project’ has been more of a corporate kind and so it led to many S.A’s big industries such as Discovery health, Nokia, Standard bank, Steers, IDC, S.A rugby, Melrose Arch, Gibbs, Netcare, to mention a few.
Today Ziza manages her time between performing, teaching, coaching, recording and composing music. Her recent projects include two bands: Ziza and the solos feat. the Dreamgirls (a 9 piece Jazz, Rock band) and “Jozi Allstars” (band that includes singers, dancers, musicians in collaborating a lounge, dance sound). Both bands use original works and are currently performing and working towards recording albums.
