When South African soulful and passionate singers are mentioned anywhere in the world, the first name that comes to anyone’s mind is Yvonne Chaka Chaka. She has been on the music scene for a long time and her music has no geographical boundaries as she has touched several people around the globe with her music. And so let’s dive in for Yvonne Chaka Chaka biography, her net worth and music career.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka Biography And Early Life, Birth & Upbringing
Yvonne Chaka Chaka biography reveals she was born in Dubsonville, Soweto in South Africa on the 18th of March 1965. She was quite unfortunate to have lost her dad when she was just eleven years old. He was a musician. The resultant was the untold hardship her mother had to go through in bringing them up. Yvonne Chaka’s mother was a poor domestic worker who had a meagre income of 40 rand a month had to fend for herself and three daughters.
Yvonne discovered music at an early age and lost herself in it. Her both parents loved to sing and it was only normal that Yvonne Chaka Chaka followed suit. As a child, she would use a broom as a make-believe microphone or use a tin to make music. She belonged to a local church assembly and was a member of the choir.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka Education Background
Yvonne Chaka Chaka attended the University of South Africa and bagged a degree and diploma in adult education, and in local government, management and administration. She graduated in 1997 with a bachelors degree in speech and drama from Trinity College, London, United Kingdom.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka Marriage & Family
Yvonne is married to Dr Mandlalele Tiny Mhinga and they have four sons together.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka Music Career
When Yvonne Chaka Chaka turned nineteen, she started singing publicly. This led to her discovery as Phil Hollis of Dephon Records found her singing in Johannesburg. She became the first black child to ever appear on television in South Africa in the year 1981.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka’s first album was “I’m in Love With a DJ”. Some of the tracks it contained were I’m Burning Up, I Cry for Freedom, Sangoma, Motherland and Umqombothi. This elevated her and placed her own South Africa’s mbaqanga music scene.
Her second album, Sangoma was released in the year 1987 by Mercury Records. Some of the songs on it’s track list include Sangoma, Come a Little Bit Closer, Private Lover, Save Me, Stimela and I’m Gonna Stop Loving You.
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Being a spirited and soulful singer, it was only natural that she rose and became famous. She became a star of really soulful pop music in addition to dance music. All these happened whilst the apartheid was at its peak in South Africa.
While Miriam Makeba is referred to as the Queen of Africa, Yvonne Chaka Chaka is called the Princess of Africa. This name was given to her by Ugandans.
Since her advent into music, Yvonne Chaka Chaka has performed alongside stars like Angélique Kidjo, Annie Lennox, Youssou N’Dour, the crossover group Appassionante, the classic rock band Queen and South Africans Johnny Clegg, Miriam Makeba Hugh Masekela and a lot more. She has also been privileged to perform for the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II and the President of the United States President Bill Clinton.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka has also performed for the then South African President Thabo Mbeki and she was present and performed at the 85th birthday of Nelson Mandela. Ms. Chaka Chaka’s hard work is evidenced by her dedication to her music and her ownership of a music label and production company. She alongside her husband, Dr Tiny, owns a limousine company.
Humanitarian work of Yvonne Chaka Chaka
Yvonne Chaka Chaka founded her foundation called The Princess of Africa Foundation in the year 2006. They have partnered with ACTION global health advocacy partnership. She champions the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.
She is the United Nations Millennium Development Goals G Envoy for Africa. A Motherland Tour – A Journey of African Women is a Yvonne Chaka Chaka documentary film which was filmed over five years of travels around Africa. Making the movie took her on a world tour. This tour served to promote the grassroots successes of those that are engaged in the battle against HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, and supported by the Global Fund.
In addition to championing the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Ms. Chaka Chaka is also a Goodwill Ambassador for the Roll Back Malaria Partnership and is also the ambassador for Nelson Mandela’s Children’s fund. They raise global awareness for HIV/AIDS.
Ms. Chaka Chaka is a board member of Information Technology Companies and Human Resource Development. She also sits on the board of Sandown Motors and in 2001, was the face of First National Bank (FNB). She is an ambassador to the University of South Africa (UNISA), City of Johannesburg Tourism, and also South Africa’s Mpumalanga Province Tourism. She is also in the Ashinaga Kenjin-Tatsujin International Advisory Council.
They serve by supporting students who are orphans across Africa to have access to quality education especially the tertiary aspect.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka’s discography (Music & Albums)
I’m Burning Up released in the year 1986.
Sangoma released in the year 1987.
Thank You Mr. DJ released in the year 1987.
I Cry For Freedom released in the year 1988.
The Power of Afrika released in the year 1996.
Back On My Feet released in the year 1997.
Bombani (Tiko Rahina) released in the year 1997.
Princess Of Africa: The Best of Yvonne Chaka Chaka released in the year 1999.
Yvonne and Friends released in the year 2000.
Yvonne and Friends released in the year 2001.
Kwenzenjani released in the year 2002.
Princess of Africa, Volume two released in the year 2002.
Celebrate Life released in the year 2006.
Her compilations includes
The Princess of Africa: The Best of Yvonne Chaka Chaka released in the year 1995.
The Princess of Africa: The Best of Yvonne Chaka Chaka Volume two released in the year 2002.
She was a contributing artist to the following
Urban Africa: Jive Hits of the Townships released in 1990.
The Rough Guide to the Music of South Africa released in1998, by World Music Network.
The Winds of Change: Words and Music of a Free South Africa released in 2004.
46664 – Part 2: Long Walk to Freedom released in 2004.
Tales of African Folk: Southern Africa released in 2005.
Hotel Rwanda – Motion Picture Soundtrack released in 2005.
The Rough Guide to the Music of South Africa Vol. 2 released in 2006.
Experience South Africa released in 2008.
The Rough Guide to African Disco which was released in 2013 by World Music Network.
Other involvements
Yvonne Chaka Chaka is an activist and is passionate especially with matters affecting women and children. This is evidenced by her involvement in several unions and associations that promote such rights. In the year 2015, she participated in signing an open letter that the ONE Campaign collected signatures for. The subject of the letter was to address Angela Merkel and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
At that point, Angela Merkel had just been appointed as the head of G7 in Germany and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma appointed to the African Union in South Africa. They urged them to endeavour to focus on women even as they serve. This would be prior to the main UN summit in September 2015 that will serve to establish new development goals for the generation.
Ms Chaka Chaka alongside Youssou N’Dour have used their voice and influence to fight against the manufacturing and peddling of fake drugs in Africa. On the 3rd of June 2020, Yvonne Chaka Chaka alongside Arturo Márquez, who is one of Mexico’s leading composers, we’re elected Vice Presidents for CISAC.
Being passionate about education and information, Ms Chaka Chaka teamed up with the International Committee of The Red Cross to use her voice and protest against misinformation and ignorance about the Coronavirus Disease. There has been lots of misleading information about the virus in Africa.
This is coupled with stigma and discrimination. To this effect, she gave a talk and sang a song titled Keep Looking At Me. Ms Chaka Chaka also served in the South African Airforce as an honorary Colonel and teaches Literacy part-time at the University of South Africa.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka Awards & Accolades
Yvonne Chaka Chaka won the Ngomo Award for the grand song prize of Zaire, presently The Democratic Republic of Congo. She also won the FNB/SAMA Award for best female singer.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka was honored as the first African woman to receive the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award.
The Degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD) (honoris causa) was conferred on her by the Rhodes University which is one of the top public schools in South Africa.
The reason for the honorary award was for her far-reaching efforts as regards humanitarian work. It is evidenced by her work as a Champion of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
In 2017, The Princess of Africa, as she is fondly referred to was given the International Good Star and Power Award at the BET Awards. She was awarded alongside Ilwad Elwan, a Somali-Canadian social activist.
Some of her albums that has won awards 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.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka Net Worth
Although we do not have the exact monetary worth of Yvonne Chaka Chaka, which one can find from other online sources (Wikipedia, Google etc), but from estimation, Yvonne worth millions of Dollars. And her Yvonne Chaka Chaka net worth is primarily from her music. At the moment, we do not have enough information on her cars, houses and other acquisitions.
Meanwhile, Chaka Chaka 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. And she was the first African woman to receive the World Economic Forum’s Crystal Award in 2012.
Yvonne Chaka Chaka Controversies
The rumor mill began spinning with news that Yvonne Chaka Chaka was deported from Uganda on New Year’s Eve. It had it that she was set to perform in Uganda, at the Enkuka concert organized by the King of Buganda Kingdom, but the authorities would have none of It. Her hotel was raided and they deported her back to South Africa.
She however came out and denied that such happened, showing her boarding pass describing her as a business class passenger on Rwanda Airways. The police spokesperson cited the reason for her departure being her using a wrong visa to enter the country, as she should have flown in with a working visa.
They reiterated that an ordinary visa is not suitable for her to use for an income generating event. There were speculations however that it happened because of the affiliation the concert had with Bobi Wine, who opposed Museveni’s government.
There was an outrage online about the treatment she received. There was more speculation, that this could be because she referred to Bobi Wine as the Nelson Mandela of Uganda.
Following the deportation saga, Bobi Wine took to his Twitter handle and condemned the act. He also stated that the government was afraid of her songs of freedom. Several other Ugandans slammed the deportation saga and lashed out at the President, Yoweri Museveni after he tweeted weak lines trying to condemn the act.
South Africans also took to their social media accounts and demanded for her return in one piece. She however reassured the public of her safety and vowed to return to Uganda to perform again.
Conclusion on Yvonne Chaka Chaka Biography & Net Worth
In conclusion, Yvonne Chaka Chaka has left footprints on the sands of time and has touched a lot of lives. In an interview, she mentioned that she admires her mother the most as she sacrificed a great deal to get them to where they are today. She also admires Nelson Mandela. He made a speech and said “It is what we make of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.
Yvonne, you are a testament to my belief. Your generosity has benefited untold numbers of families and orphans facing the challenges of AIDS, terminal illness, abuse, poverty and illiteracy.”
Ms Chaka Chaka has also remained relevant in the South African music industry till date. Her involvement in boards and decision-making has made life easy for different individuals. Her love for her people, country and continent at large has manifested itself in several ways as shown in the biography above. Furthermore, her popularity and influence spans even beyond the shores of Africa. Ms. Chaka Chaka is indeed a force to be reckoned with.
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