South African house singer Winnie Khumalo has died aged 51
The vocalist and actress passed away after a short illness, her family confirmed
South Africa-hailing house singer and Afropop artist Winnie Khumalo has died aged 51, her family have confirmed.
The Soweto-born singer passed away in hospital on Tuesday, January 7, after suffering a “short illness”, her sister Tshepi Rakeepile told SABC TV. The cause of death is currently unknown.
"My sister was sick,” Rakeepile said. “She did have a short illness and we really thought she was recovering. But this morning it turned out she hadn't fully recovered from her illness. She was quickly rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, she was pronounced dead.”
Winnie Khumalo first got involved in the South African music scene in the 1980s, aged 15. She was best known for hit tracks including ‘Live My Life’, released in 2008, and later picked up by Universal Music.
Khumalo also collaborated with famed South African artists such as Bongo Maffin, DJ Cleo, Zonke, and Brenda Fassie, who she worked with as a backing vocalist in the early stages of her career.
Outside of music, Khumalo also worked as an actress appearing on popular South African TV shows including the ‘90s drama series Muvhango.
After the release of her debut album ‘Hey Laitie’ in 1988, Khumalo went on to release a series of records, including ‘Tshina Tshina’, and ‘I Just Wanna Live My Life’, the latter of which sold over 25,000 copies and flew up the charts.
In a statement posted after her passing, Khumalo’s record label The Kalawa Jamzee Records called her a “true icon” whose “passion, talent, and dedication to her craft have left an indelible mark on the industry and in the hearts of her fans."
Read some tributes to the late singer and actress below.
Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter