GAUTENG, SOUTH AFRICA: Mzansi Youth Choir is a performance choir that exemplifies Sowetan excellence. The ensemble is about to hit the stage on NBC's 'America's Got Talent,' which returns with its latest season on May 30.
It may feel like just yesterday that The Mayyas won the 'AGT' title, $1 million, and even performed alongside Beyoncé. But now it's time to crown a new 'AGT' champion. 'AGT' Season 18 starts on NBC on Tuesday, May 30 at 8/7c and will be available on Peacock the following day. The show began taping Auditions on March 25, with Heidi Klum and Sofia Vergara posting several photographs and videos on set on Instagram. Howie Mandel, Heidi, Simon Cowell, and Sofia are all back from Seasons 16 and 17. Terry Crews will also return for his sixth summer as host.
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Who is Mzansi Youth Choir?
The Mzansi Youth Choir was founded in 2003 with the goal of providing talented, impoverished teens and young adults with the chance to sing professionally both locally and internationally. Mzansi is a township slang name for South Africa that means "south" in isiZulu. The choir's repertoire includes an interesting mix of South African music with elements of traditional music, pop, and jazz. The choir consists of around 50 choristers (aged 13 to 24) from Soweto and other neighborhoods in and around Johannesburg, who have great musical abilities and come from underprivileged backgrounds. The choir has an impeccable blend, a transparent texture, delicate tone shadings, and aesthetic elegance. The exuberant beats of the Mzansi Youth Choir are surely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Stratford. Since its inception, the choir has earned a national and international reputation as one of the best. This national treasure is a performance choir.
The Mzansi Youth Choir is widely regarded as Africa's premier display choir. One World Music Festival, National Arts Festival, South African Music Awards, Presidential Inauguration, KKNK, 'The Voice,' Starlight Classics, Huisgenoot Skouspel, M-Net Idols, and concerts by Celtic Women, Josh Groban, and Andrea Bocelli are among the festival highlights. Performances in Turkey, Russia, Scotland, England, Denmark, and Canada are among the international highlights. The Mzansi Youth Choir has also appeared in television ads such as Naija Sings (M-NET Africa) and an ESPN/ABC montage for the FIFA World Cup. Among their professional highlights include the One World Music Festival in Durban, a performance on the reality television show 'Idols,' the Presidential Awards Ceremony, RMB Starlight Classics, and a concert with Andrea Bocelli.
During the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the choir sang the official World Cup song 'WakaWaka' alongside Columbian singer Shakira and local band Freshly Ground at both the Kick-Off Concert and the World Cup Final. Mzansi's lovely, young sound, exhilarating dancing, throbbing energy, buoyancy, brightness, and commitment to South African music are all unforgettable.
The choir sang in the International Youth Choir Festival at the Royal Albert Hall in London in April 2017. The Mzansi Youth Choir was the only African choir chosen to play at this renowned international event. In 2018, the choir began the show with Nigerian singer D'Banj and finished the Global Citizen show at a full FNB Stadium with a dazzling performance with world megastar Beyoncé. This performance was seen in 180 countries on six continents.
The choir won the inaugural virtual World Choir Games in 2020 with a heartfelt presentation of 'A Million Dreams' - a video compilation of all choristers singing in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Climb was nominated for a Hollywood Music Award in the 'Independent Music Video Category' alongside Wouter Kellerman. The choir released videos in 2021 with Nigerian Afropop artist Yemi Allade (Rain), multi-award-winning South African musician Samthing Soweto (Danko), and PJ Powers (Bayete Mzansi).
The choir won the 20th Annual Garden State Film Festival Movie Music Competition in New Jersey, USA in 2022 with their performance of 'Umuzi Wethu' (song in the closing credits of the award-winning documentary named 'Land of the Free'). The video also features Grammy Award-winning South African flutist Wouter Kellerman.
Mzansi's exquisite and new sound, dynamic dance, pulsing energy, buoyancy, brightness, and love of South African music all combine to create a unique experience These vocalists are among the greatest. You might light up a neighborhood if you joined the Mzansi Youth Choir.
Before the 'AGT' alum's death in 2021, the choral group also paid tribute to Nightbirde by singing 'It's Ok' with their own spin. Nightbirde became a symbol of the group's boldness, poise, beauty, and inspiration. In times of suffering, her voice was the voice that people all across the world needed to hear, including the choir. Their most recent releases are accessible on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.
Man behind the choristers' moves
If you've ever wondered where the choristers obtain their amazing movements, the answer is concealed in two words: Alfred Phakathi. The person in charge of making the choral group stand out from the throng can be seen cheering on Mzansi Youth choral from the sidelines. Alfred has the abilities and knowledge to ensure that the choir always stands out from the crowd. It was his idea to create African-inspired movements, which are uncommon in the choral world.
He began his dancing career with African Footprint in 1998 as a dancer and a dance captain, and eventually became the dance director, company manager, and associate producer. He holds an honors Diploma in Dance from the Johannesburg Dance Foundation. Furthermore, he also participated in a variety of local and international performances before joining the choir family in 2010.
Alfred admires the choir's influence on spectators and offers some advice for budding choral choreographers. He feels that squandered ability is the most tragic aspect of life. And Alfred isn't just saying this; he has great plans for a concert that will feature dance, drumming, music, and acrobatic displays by African artists. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic, this desire had to be put on hold.
Mzansi Youth Choir on 'AGT' Season 18
The choral group resorted to Instagram on May 25 to announce their 'AGT' debut. "So excited to FINALLY be able to share our BIG NEWS!!!!" they said. "We have auditioned for @agt !!!🤩🎶 The premiere for season 18, featuring our audition will be this coming Tuesday, May 30th at 8/7c on NBC, so mark your calendars! We cannot wait to share more about our fun American adventure and take you along on the journey to the stage for @agtauditions. 🇺🇸🌟."
The announcement on their official page also reads, "We have auditioned for AGT !!! The premiere for season 18, featuring our audition will be this coming Tuesday, May 30th at 8/7c on NBC, so mark your calendars! We cannot wait to share more about our fun American adventure and take you along on the journey to the stage for AGT Auditions."
Do you think Mzansi Youth Choir will win over 'AGT' judges after sharing stages with Beyoncé and Shakira? Tune into the premiere of 'America's Got Talent' Season 18 on May 30, at 8/7c to find out.
