Arts & Culture
South African visual art, music, writing, film, performance, food and traditions. Read a story, browse by discipline, or meet the artists and musicians.
Artists and musicians
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MusicMiriam Makeba
Singer and civil-rights campaigner, 1932 to 2008; the voice of 'Pata Pata'
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Photo: Rob Mieremet / Anefo, Nationaal Archief · Public domain
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MusicAbdullah Ibrahim
Pianist and composer of 'Mannenberg', born in Cape Town in 1934
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Photo: Harald Krichel · CC BY-SA 4.0
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LiteratureJ. M. Coetzee
Cape Town-born novelist; Nobel Prize in Literature 2003 and two Booker Prizes
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Photo: Laterthanyouthink (Wikimedia Commons user) · CC BY-SA 4.0
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MusicKyle Shepherd
Cape Town jazz pianist and composer, born in 1987
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Photo: Hreinn Gudlaugsson · CC BY-SA 4.0
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LiteratureNadine Gordimer
Novelist and anti-apartheid writer; Nobel Prize in Literature 1991, 1923 to 2014
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Photo: Bengt Oberger · CC BY 3.0
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MusicHugh Masekela
Trumpeter, composer and singer, 1939 to 2018; 'Grazing in the Grass' and 'Stimela'
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Photo: John Leeson · CC BY 2.0
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MusicJohnny Clegg
Musician and anthropologist who fused Zulu and Western music with Juluka and Savuka, 1953 to 2019
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Photo: Gorup de Besanez · CC BY-SA 3.0
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MusicBlack Coffee
DJ and producer from Durban; Grammy winner in 2022 for the album 'Subconsciously'
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Photo: DeepBluuue · CC0
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MusicTyla
Johannesburg-born pop star; 'Water' won the first Grammy for Best African Music Performance in 2024
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Photo: Capital FM Kenya · CC BY 3.0
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MusicFeya Faku
Jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player from Gqeberha, 1962 to 2025
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Photo: Matija Puzar · CC BY-SA 4.0
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MusicLouis Mhlanga
Zimbabwe-born guitarist and producer based in South Africa
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Photo: Paul Baker · CC BY 2.0
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MusicPops Mohamed
Multi-instrumentalist and producer, 1949 to 2025; a champion of indigenous instruments
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Music
Miriam Makeba
Singer and civil-rights campaigner, 1932 to 2008; the voice of 'Pata Pata'
View profile
Photo: Rob Mieremet / Anefo, Nationaal Archief · Public domain
-
Music
Abdullah Ibrahim
Pianist and composer of 'Mannenberg', born in Cape Town in 1934
View profile
Photo: Harald Krichel · CC BY-SA 4.0
-
Literature
J. M. Coetzee
Cape Town-born novelist; Nobel Prize in Literature 2003 and two Booker Prizes
Read the article
Photo: Laterthanyouthink (Wikimedia Commons user) · CC BY-SA 4.0
-
Music
Kyle Shepherd
Cape Town jazz pianist and composer, born in 1987
View profile
Photo: Hreinn Gudlaugsson · CC BY-SA 4.0
-
Literature
Nadine Gordimer
Novelist and anti-apartheid writer; Nobel Prize in Literature 1991, 1923 to 2014
Read the article
Photo: Bengt Oberger · CC BY 3.0
-
Music
Hugh Masekela
Trumpeter, composer and singer, 1939 to 2018; 'Grazing in the Grass' and 'Stimela'
Read the article
Photo: John Leeson · CC BY 2.0
-
Music
Johnny Clegg
Musician and anthropologist who fused Zulu and Western music with Juluka and Savuka, 1953 to 2019
Read the article
Photo: Gorup de Besanez · CC BY-SA 3.0
-
Music
Black Coffee
DJ and producer from Durban; Grammy winner in 2022 for the album 'Subconsciously'
Read the article
Photo: DeepBluuue · CC0
-
Music
Tyla
Johannesburg-born pop star; 'Water' won the first Grammy for Best African Music Performance in 2024
Read the article
Photo: Capital FM Kenya · CC BY 3.0
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Music
Feya Faku
Jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player from Gqeberha, 1962 to 2025
Read the article
Photo: Matija Puzar · CC BY-SA 4.0
-
Music
Louis Mhlanga
Zimbabwe-born guitarist and producer based in South Africa
Read the article
Photo: Paul Baker · CC BY 2.0
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Music
Pops Mohamed
Multi-instrumentalist and producer, 1949 to 2025; a champion of indigenous instruments
Read the article
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No verified portraitMusic
Kabza De Small
DJ and producer widely called the King of Amapiano
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No verified portraitMusic
Brenda Fassie
Pop singer from Langa, Cape Town, known as the Queen of African Pop, 1964 to 2004
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No verified portraitMusic
Msaki
Singer-songwriter from the Eastern Cape, known for 'Fetch Your Life' with Prince Kaybee
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No verified portraitMusic
Sun-El Musician
Producer and DJ behind 'Akanamali', a leading voice of South African Afro house
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No verified portraitMusic
Bongi Dube
Afro-pop singer-songwriter behind 'Ngaphesheya'; daughter of reggae legend Lucky Dube
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No verified portraitMusic
Shamzisto
Singer behind the single 'Thandiwe', featured in our new-music notes
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Image credits
- Abdullah Ibrahim: File:Abdullah Ibrahim-64644.jpg · Harald Krichel (Harald Krichel / WikiPortraits) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped to 3:4 and resized for display · via Wikimedia Commons
- Black Coffee: File:Black Coffee perfoming at Hï Ibiza in June 2018.jpg · DeepBluuue · CC0 · Cropped to 3:4 and resized for display · via Wikimedia Commons
- Feya Faku: File:Feya Faku, Oslo Jazzfestival 2017.jpg · Matija Puzar · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped to 3:4 and resized for display · via Wikimedia Commons
- Hugh Masekela: File:Hugh Masekela 2008.jpg · John Leeson · CC BY 2.0 · Cropped to 3:4 and resized for display · via Wikimedia Commons
- J. M. Coetzee: File:J. M. Coetzee Nov 2023 headshot.jpg · Laterthanyouthink (Wikimedia Commons user) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped to 3:4 and resized for display · via Wikimedia Commons
- Johnny Clegg: File:Johnny Clegg (cropped).jpg · Gorup de Besanez · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cropped to 3:4 and resized for display · via Wikimedia Commons
- Kyle Shepherd: File:Kyle-shepherd07.jpg · Hreinn Gudlaugsson · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped to 3:4 and resized for display · via Wikimedia Commons
- Louis Mhlanga: File:Louis Mhlanga in September 2007.jpg · Paul Baker · CC BY 2.0 · Cropped to 3:4 and resized for display · via Wikimedia Commons
- Miriam Makeba: File:Miriam Makeba (1969).jpg · Rob Mieremet / Anefo, Nationaal Archief · Public domain · Cropped to 3:4 and resized for display · via Wikimedia Commons
- Nadine Gordimer: File:Nadine Gordimer 01 (cropped).JPG · Bengt Oberger · CC BY 3.0 · Cropped to 3:4 and resized for display · via Wikimedia Commons
- Pops Mohamed: File:Pops Mohamed 2011.jpg · flowcomm · CC BY 2.0 · Cropped to 3:4 and resized for display · via Wikimedia Commons
- Tyla: File:Tyla Seethal 2022 a.png · Capital FM Kenya · CC BY 3.0 · Cropped to 3:4 and resized for display · via Wikimedia Commons
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