Vusi Mahlasela at the Wanderlust Festival SPEAKEASY Lecture Series - Stratton, VT June 2011

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• published: 29 Dec 2011
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Vusi Mahlasela in conversation about his life growing up in South Africa as a young activist and realizing the importance of music and song. After world-wide touring and international acclaim, Americans first caught a glimpse of Vusi in the lauded documentary film Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony, and the accompanying soundtrack. After the release of the film, long-time admirer and fellow South African, Dave Matthews, signed Vusi to his own ATO Records label and released The Voice (2003)¸ a collection of the best songs from Vusi's catalog. In 2007, ATO released his latest album, Guiding Star, his first full-length release in the States. ATO Records will release the highly anticipated follow-up record to Guiding Star on January 18, 2011. The new album, Say Africa, produced by Taj Mahal and recorded at Dave Matthews' studio in Charlottesville, VA, captures Vusi's hope for the future of Africa: "Let all those who share in Mandela's greatest wish—to one day see an Africa that is at peace with herself—SAY AFRICA." After recording the album in the States this spring, Vusi returned to his home in South Africa and was honored to help ring in the World Cup at FIFA's Kick Off Concert at Orlando Stadium. The concert was broadcast internationally to an estimated one billion viewers. Following his performance, Vusi proudly introduced fellow South African, Archbishop Desmond Tutu on stage. Vusi's anthemic song When You Come Back was ITV's official theme song for the World Cup in the UK. Other recent highlights include performing at Mandela Day to honor Mandela's birthday, touring with Bela Fleck behind the release of his Grammy-winning album Throw Down Your Heart, which features a live track from Vusi and Bela, two appearances at the TED conference and performing with Paul Simon. In the midst of a busy international touring schedule, Vusi remains dedicated to his social activism and partnerships with non-profits, including his own Vusi Mahlasela Music Development Foundation, committed to the promotion of and preservation of African music. Other organizations that Vusi actively supports are OXFAM, The Acumen Fund, The African Leadership Academy and the ONE campaign. Over a musically and socially consequential career, South African singer-songwriter and poet-activist Vusi Mahlasela has successfully followed his muse and continued to give back to his country. As he puts it, he knows that "musicians have to be like watchdogs, just by seeing and speaking out, directly to the youth as well, because we need some kind of Cultural Revolution to remove ignorance."