Phinda

After performing for more than 15 years and with three albums under her belt, Johannesburg- based singer Phinda Mtya has been recognized as one of her country’s most talented vocalists. Her 2005 release, Mbheka Phesheya (the Xhosa language word for a traditional ceremonial pipe), earned a South African Music Award (SAMA) for Best Adult Contemporary Album, and she is often mentioned in the same breath as legends such as Miriam Makeba and Sibongile Khumalo. Phinda spent two years in Toronto playing a leading role in the local production of The Lion King, and she is also a featured singer in the all-star group Mahube.