Biography
Latozi Mpahleni (born December 25, 1943), known by her stage name Madosini, was a South African musician. She played Xhosa traditional instruments, which brought her to the limelight.
Some of the instruments she was famous for were the uhadi and mhrubhe musical bows and the isitolotolo. Madosini was one of the best in her field, and they regarded her as a national treasure.
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| Quick Facts | |
| Full Name: | Latozi Mpahleni |
| Stage name: | Madosini |
| Born: | December 25, 1943 |
| Died: | December 23, 2022 (age 78 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Eastern Cape |
| Nationality: | South African |
| Occupation: | Musician |
| Record Label: | PLATOON, New Cape Records |
| Buried: | Mkhankatho, Libode, the Eastern Cape |
Early Life
Latozi Mpahleni was born on December 25, 1943, in Eastern Cape, South Africa. Her parents were Manjuza and Mpahleni Manqineni. She moved to Libode with her family when she was a child. Madosini did not have formal western education.
Career
The singer has worked with many celebrated singers like the British rock singer Patrick Duff. They had many successful concerts together around the world in 2003.
Madosini has also worked with artists like Thandiswa Mazwai, Ringo, and Derek Gripper. She also collaborated with the Brazilian artist Gilberto Gil.
Other artists on her collaboration list include Hilton Schilder, Jonny Blundell, Lulu Plaitjies, and Pedro Espi-Sanchis.
Working with them led to the recording of an African/Jazz fusion CD name of AmaThongo and various concerts around Africa.
Together with Pedro, she held a performance at many music festivals, storytelling, and poetry festivals around the world. One of the notable events was at the Medellin International Poetry Festival in Colombia.
Madosini also held performances at the WOMAD festivals around the world in 2006. She was the first recorded and documented person in the festival’s Musical Elders Archives project.
Mpahleni held most of her performances around the world. The audience loved her style, especially her music, which took them deep into the wellspring of music. Her songs represented some of the earliest roots of jazz music in Africa.
Personal Life
Latozi “Madosini” Mpahleni died on December 23, 2022. She lived a life filled with good music South Africans that the world will remember. She passed away two days before her 79th birthday in Mthatha, South Africa.
In 2020, News24 reported that Mama Madosini was in a hospital in Annecy, France. She had been diagnosed with a faulty heart valve which made her collapse in a bathroom on November 15.
Madosini and Pedro Espi-Sanchis had toured France and Switzerland and were on their way to Geneva when she took ill. She had high blood pressure and rheumatism before leaving for France. She revealed to News24 that she was diagnosed with asthma and had to use an asthma pump.
The musician lived with her grandchildren in a one-bedroom flat in Langa, Cape Town. Madosini will be laid to rest at her home village of Mkhankatho in Libode in the Eastern Cape.
Discography
Albums
- Power to women (1997)
- Eparadesi Nkosi Uzube Nam (2010)
Songs
- Uthando Luphelile
- Wenu Se Goli
- Bafazi
- Uxam Ulilela Abantwana Bakhe
- Mfanandini
- Intaba Ezikude
- Mna Ndiyayithanda Imotokali
- Nozimanga
- Labaleka Igeza
- Umgquba
- Umzi Ongenankomo
- Yitileni
- Nontwayiyo
- Yaka Yaka
- Modokali 1
- Ixhegolekula
- Modokali 2
- Sphetukano
- Nomatshawe
- Makhulu
- Uthando Lupelele
- Intsinkizi
- Hobe Lentaka Ezithandayo
- Motokale
- Uthando Lupilele
- Spetukano
- Nozimama
- King of the Pondos
- Modokali I