Thandiswa Mazwai: "Iyeza" / "Zabalaza"

Self-styled wild woman and rebel singer Thandiswa Mazwai rocks the TED stage with an electrifying performance of two songs: "Iyeza" and "Zabalaza."

May 10 2018

www.ted.com

(Music)

(Vocalizing)

Ndicela iyeza

lokuhlamba

ndisuse iinkathazo.

Ndicela iyeza

lokuhlamba

ndikhuphe iinkathazo.

(Vocalizing)

(Improvising)

Thongo lam vuma,

Thongo lam vuma,

Thongo lam vuma,

Thongo lam vuma.

Ndicela iyeza

lokuhlamba

ndisuse iinkathazo

ndicela iyeza

iyeza lokughabha

ndisuse iinkathazo

ndicela iyeza

lokuhlamba

ndisuse iinkathazo.

(Vocalizing)

Thongo lam vuma,

Thongo lam vuma,

Thongo lam vuma,

Thongo lam vuma,

Thongo lam vuma,

Lam vuma,

Thongo lam vuma,

Lam vuma,

Thongo lam vuma,

Lam vuma,

Thongo lam vuma,

Lam vuma, lam vuma.

(Improvising)

(Music ends)

(Applause)

Thandiswa Mazwai: Hello everybody. Thank you so much for having us here. My name is Thandiswa Mazwai. I am a wild woman, a rebel singer, a conduit. My music is about memory and struggling between oppresion and freedom. After over 20 years in South Africa we find ourselves as the black masses still suffering and fighting for our freedom and humanity. This first song was called "Iyeza" which means "medicine." Medicine for our madness, medicine for our rage. This song we're doing now is called "Zabalaza," and it means "rebel." I'd like to dedicate this to the valiant student movement in South Africa who came up with the #FeesMustFall.

(Applause)

Rhodes Must Fall.

(Applause)

But more importantly, the new vigor that has been brought into the feminist movement so patriarchy must fall.

(Applause)

(Music)

Gogo bek' umthwalo

Kunin' uhlupheka?

Little ghetto child

Ungazibulali sana

Oh ...

If you take my hand,

I'll show you

how to be free.

Ayifanelang' ub' iyenzeka lento

Emzini kabawo

kunge kudala

Sizozabalaza.

Zabalaza, zabalaza.

Zabalaza.

Sizozabalaza.

Zabalaza, zabalaza.

Zabalaza.

Zabalaza, zabalaza.

Zabalaza.

Zabalaza.

Zabalaza.

Zabalaza.

(Vocalizing)

(Improvising)

It's my people in Soweto,

my people in Mozambique,

my people in Senegal.

These are my people in the ghettos.

Zabalaza, zabalaza.

Zabalaza.

Zabalaza.

(Music ends)

(Applause)

(Cheering)

Thank you very much.

(Applause)

More by Thandiswa Mazwai

Previously ted2srt.org