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Dance With Me
Released Feb 24, 2006
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South Africa
South Africa
Journey
Swazi Dlamini is a South African singer whose career spans gospel music, jazz performance, and international stage appearances. She first attracted public attention as a member of the renowned gospel ensemble Joyous Celebration before building a solo career in the early 2000s. Over time she released several albums, received notable African music awards, and became involved in music-related business ventures focused on production and artist development.
Dlamini grew up in KwaMashu, a township near the city of Durban. Her childhood unfolded in an environment where church choirs and live music were an important part of community life. This setting introduced her to singing at an early age and helped nurture her interest in both gospel and jazz.
Her first major exposure to the professional music industry came when she joined Joyous Celebration, one of the most influential gospel collectives in South Africa. She took part in several of the choir’s early recordings and stage productions during the late 1990s. At the time she was still very young, joining the ensemble at around eighteen years old. The group’s large audiences and frequent touring introduced her to the national music scene and gave her valuable stage experience. The connections and visibility she gained through these performances later helped her transition into a solo career.
Her breakthrough as an independent artist came in 2003 with the release of her debut album "My First Love." The project drew attention within South Africa’s jazz and gospel circles and quickly raised her profile. The album’s success led to major recognition in 2004, including Best Female Artist at the South African Music Awards as well as the title of Most Promising African Female Artist at the Kora All Africa Music Awards. These achievements placed her among the emerging voices of South African vocal music during that period.
Following the momentum of her debut, Dlamini continued exploring different musical influences in her later work. Her second album, Dance with Me, blended elements of jazz, R&B, gospel, and blues. The project was nominated for Best Contemporary Jazz Album at both the South African Music Awards and the Metro FM Music Awards in 2006. Through these recordings she developed a reputation for combining jazz arrangements with gospel-inspired vocal expression.
Over the years she built a substantial catalogue of music. She has released at least eight solo albums in addition to other projects linked to gospel ensembles. Among her notable releases are "My First Love" from 2003, "Dance with Me" from the mid-2000s, "Gospel Meets Jazz: Live in Durban" released in 2011 on both CD and DVD, "Soul of Me in 2013," and "Victory," a later gospel-focused project. The album Soul of Me was issued to commemorate a decade of her solo career, marking ten years since the release of her debut recording. Over time she has spent more than twenty years working within the music industry.
Throughout her career Dlamini has collaborated with a number of well-known South African musicians and has also appeared as a backing vocalist for prominent performers. Among the artists she has worked with are Busi Mhlongo, Hugh Masekela, and Sibongile Khumalo. These collaborations expanded her exposure beyond gospel audiences and connected her with broader jazz and world music circles.
In addition to performing, Dlamini has also been active in the business side of the music industry. She co-founded Swazitainment Productions, a company aimed at supporting music events and production within the jazz and gospel sectors. Together with her husband, violinist Tshepo Mngoma, she has also been associated with Shammah Records, a label involved in recording and promoting artists. Through these initiatives she has contributed to the growth of independent music production in South Africa.
As her career progressed, Dlamini became increasingly involved in church leadership and ministry. She later took on pastoral responsibilities at Jesus National Church, combining her religious commitments with her music career.
In her personal life, Dlamini is married to violinist Tshepo Mngoma, and the couple have three children. Their professional collaborations through music companies have occasionally brought their family life into the broader context of their artistic work.
In recent years she has focused increasingly on gospel music and church ministry while still maintaining connections to the jazz influences that shaped her earlier recordings. She has also performed anniversary concerts celebrating the longevity of her career and the continued popularity of her debut album.