Freshlyground’s Zolani Mahola goes solo

Freshlyground lead singer and songwriter Zolani Mahola has announced her departure from the group.

After 17 years with the band, Zolani is going to focus on her new venture as a solo artist and inspirational speaker.

According to a KFM report, the singer said she was finally ready to express “deeply personal themes of identity and belonging in her work”.

“It’s been an epic journey and Freshlyground will always be an integral part of my life story.

“I’m extremely proud of what our band has achieved and how we were able to unite our country through music and take our unique sound to the world. It may seem like the end of an era, but it’s certainly not goodbye,” she said.

In their years together, Freshlyground shared stages with musical icons like Stevie Wonder, Miriam Makeba, Shakira, BB King, Oliver Mtukudzi, and Vusi Mahlasela.

While deeply rooted in folk traditions, her new musical style will be as rich as it is diverse. Fans can expect a culture clash of “Xhosa folk meets acoustic Americana”, with the burning grit of indie-rock.

Zolani's final performance as the lead singer of Freshlyground will be on December 31 at Kirstenbosch Gardens in Cape Town.