Thulani Shabalala

Ladysmith Black Mambazo member


member name=Thulani Shabalala
years=1993 -
dob=1968
dead=
status=Married
occupation=Bass member

Thulani Shabalala (1968 - ) is a member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, a South African choral group founded in 1960 (and still led) by his father Joseph.

Thulani was born in Ladysmith (eMnambithi district) to Joseph and his late wife Nellie. In 1976, Joseph brought together his six sons to form Mshengu White Mambazo, Ladysmith's 'junior choir', in which Thulani sung as one of the bass voices.

After the murder of his uncle Headman Shabalala in December 1991 and the retirement of several other members (Inos Phungula, Geophrey Mdletshe and Ben Shabalala), Joseph later recruited Thulani and his brothers Sibongiseni, Thamsanqa and Msizi. Thulani has been a part of the line-up since 1993 and is one of 4 basses (the others being Russel Mthembu, Abednego Mazibuko and Sibongiseni Shabalala).

In 2007, Thulani (in tribute to his father and Ladysmith Black Mambazo) released a solo album, "Asibuye Emasisweni". The album marked the beginning of another musical act to emerge from the Shabalala family, and although Thulani is now making his name known in South Africa, he continues to be a part of Black Mambazo.