Eastern Cape's nine-year-old girl in demand after video of opera aria goes viral

Gugulethu Ndzendze’s voice has opened doors for her. She is still waiting to compete at one of the world’s most popular and biggest shows, ‘The Kids Voice’, but due to Covid-19, the competition has been paused.
Gugulethu Ndzendze’s voice has opened doors for her. She is still waiting to compete at one of the world’s most popular and biggest shows, ‘The Kids Voice’, but due to Covid-19, the competition has been paused.
Image: RANDELL ROSKRUGE

Nine-year-old Gugulethu Ndzendze recently rose to prominence and featured in the Daily Dispatch after a video of her performing an opera aria at church went viral.

Ndzendze was greatly admired by the audience when her mother, Fundiswa Ndzendze, posted her video on Facebook.

This has provided her with numerous opportunities, including an invitation to perform at one of the best music festivals in KwaZulu-Natal during the festive season.

The singer is still partaking in one of the world’s most popular and biggest shows, The Kids Voice, but due to Covid-19, the competition has been paused.

While she waits for the competition to resume, the CEO of the Clermont Foundation, Wiseman Mkhize, from KwaZulu-Natal, has invited the young singer to be one of the performers in Durban’s Kuhle Kwethu music festival alongside other soloists and choirs.

Her father, Bongani Ndzendze, said the support they had got on their daughter’s journey had been amazing  and they could not express how grateful they were.

“We are still overwhelmed and in disbelief. We were not aware that our daughter would get so much support from around the world.”

He said his daughter was excited about the upcoming event and she had grown better and more confident over the time.

“I won’t lie, Gugu was ecstatic and humbled at the same time about the festival. We are still surprised that she has gained confidence and is now performing new songs.”

He expressed how grateful he was to have received support from the department of sport, recreation, arts  & culture when his daughter’s video made the rounds on social media.

“When they heard that my daughter was invited to an international competition, the department assisted us in terms of preparing a visa.”

Gugu said she was very proud of herself and being invited to the festival meant she would not only represent herself but the Eastern Cape and the country at large.

“I am very excited and looking forward to making people proud through my performances,” she said.

While patiently waiting for the festival, the singer has been practising various songs with her church choir instructor.

“I practise a lot; I have started rehearsing new songs, I do it at church with churchmates and I can now sing a variety of songs,” she said.

DispatchLIVE


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