Arguably the most prestigious award in the music industry – the Grammy Awards is in its 65th year, and remains a landmark accolade for performers and producers around the world. South Africans across the country (and the world) were amazed to witness musical trio Nomcebo Zikode, Zakes Bantwini, and Wouter Kellerman win the award for ‘best global music performance’ with their song, ‘Bayethe’. While the song itself was relatively unknown – it strikes at the heart of South African music, winning the favour of the Academy.
Nomcebo Zikode is the vocalist behind the famed ‘Jerusalema’ – one of the most viral songs of all time, with a viewing rate of 544 million on Youtube, and then some. In the music video for ‘Bayethe’, she is adorned in isiZulu attire and beading, and both songs are sung in isiZulu; one of the South Africa’s treasured dialects reverberating across the planet and in the hearts of millions of people across the world. This is another sign of the unfolding African Renaissance.
In winning, Zakes said, “This moment, right here, for anybody that’s in Africa, just proves and affirms that every dream is valid, and I want to say thank you very much to the Academy and to each and every one; and for every child in a ghetto, in a village: just know it’s possible.” With Nomcebo adding, “Thank you so much to God. You know, I once gave the world a song that took the world by a storm… but I didn’t get this nomination or this award, but God was saying to me, ‘don’t worry, my daughter, I’ll give you Bayethe’.” Finally, Wouter said “Thank you, so much. This is such a beautiful moment on the road to sharing South African music and culture with the world. Thank you Nomcebo, thank you Zakes for the incredible creativity.”
Every single week we are shown more reasons to be indelibly proud to be South African – what a way to kick-off 2023 music in our country.
Images courtesy of Getty.com and trace.tv.
Written by: Holly Beaton
Published: 9 February 2023
