Today in history: Brenda Fassie is born
The daughter of a pianist, Brenda began singing to her mother's accompaniment at a very young age.
South African pop queen, Brenda Nokuzola Fassie was born on 3 November 1964 in Langa, a township near Cape Town.
Brenda was named after the American country singer Brenda Lee.
The daughter of a pianist, Brenda began singing to her mother’s accompaniment at a very young age.
At the tender age of five, she had tourists paying to hear her sing. When she was older, she was sometimes described as the Queen of African Pop, the Madonna of The Townships or simply as The Black Madonna.
Brenda died on 9 May 2004 after allegedly taking a drug overdose, and is survived by her son, Bongani Fassie.
The bronze sculpture of Brenda outside the Bassline music venue in Newtown, Johannesburg, is one of 40 memorial art works the Sunday Times has placed around the country to celebrate its 100th birthday, and to promote national identity.
Information sourced from: South African History Online.
