Rebecca Malope Biography
Rebecca Malope is a South African born Award-winning gospel artist popularly known as “African Queen of Gospel” who rose to fame in the late 1990s. In 2013 she was one of the judges in Clash of Choirs South Africa.
Rebecca Malope Early Life
She was born on 30th June 1968 in Lekazi, Mpumalanga, South Africa. She was born prematurely after her father beat her mother while she was pregnant. Therefore, all her childhood she was sickly, an undernourished child who started walking late, long after other children her age were tottering about. Rebecca left school in Grade 1 because they were poor and were struggling to survive.
Her mother ran away because her father used to beat her almost every day. She had to get some money therefore Rebecca started working on a tobacco farm when she was 11 years old to fend for her family.
At the age of 13, Rebecca and her sister, Cynthia, left home and went to Ermelo because Cynthia wanted to join a music group called Dan Nkosi and The Villagers. When they got to Ermelo, to their disappointment Dan Nkosi had disbanded The Villagers.
Together with her sister, they escaped to Johannesburg with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They were afraid to go back home because their father would beat them. Rebecca and her sister lived with nine other people in a small room in Evaton near Vereeniging.
They went to Gallo Records but were rejected. Some musicians told her that she should go back to school since she was only 14. Rebecca and her sister were starving and Jabu Sibumbe, who played bass for Stimela, gave them money for food. He was like a father to them. Even today, he’s like a father to her.
Rebecca Malope Career
Rebecca started her musical career in 1986. She began by contesting in the ‘Shell Road to Fame’, a talent search for musicians. Unfortunately, she did not win. She never gave up though.
The following year, she tried her luck, and to her surprise, she won as the best vocalist. Rebecca used this opportunity to mark the beginning of her musical career.
She signed up with Sizwe Zakoas her producer, and Peter Tiadi as her manager. Together, they started working on her debut pop album, Sthembile Kuwe.
Being new in an industry that was already flooded, her album did not sell so well. Rebecca was convinced that pop music was not the ideal genre for her. She switched to gospel music.
To her uttermost surprise, her songs did so well, and within a short time, she released her first album, which she called Rebecca. The songs in the album would even get media coverage in most radio stations. In 1989, she worked on her second and third albums.
The titles of the albums were; Thank you very much and Woza lovely respectively. The two albums had a platinum status that year. In 1990, she released another hit; Buyani, which she dedicated to Nelson Mandela during the occasion of his release from Robben Island Prison.
In 1990, she won the OKTV award in the best South African female artist category. In 1993, she surprised the country when she received more than one million votes and won the best local established artist during the Coca Cola Full Blast Music Award Music Show in 1993 and 1994.
Since then, she has had good breaks in her career, with her first ten gospel albums going gold, while the last six albums went platinum.
Rebecca Malope Age
Malope was born on 30th June 1968. She celebrates her birthday on 30th June every year.
Rebecca Malope Family
Parents
She is the daughter of John Malope and Pauline Twala.
Siblings
She had two siblings a brother Jonathan and a sister Cynthia who also died.
Husband
She is happily married to Themba Tshabalala who is a manager at Krone, an import and export firm and together they have 3 adopted children because Rebecca was not able to have a child of her own due to complications.
Children
She adopted her sister’s three children Zweli, Noluthando, and Thandeka.
Rebecca Malope Body Measurements
- Height: 5 feet 11 inches
- Weight: Not Available
- Shoe Size:8 (US)
- Body Shape: Not Available
- Hair Color: Black
Rebecca Malope Salary
Details about her salary are not yet disclosed. However, information about how much she makes will be updated as soon as it is available.
Rebecca Malope Net Worth
According to our reliable sources, Rebecca Malope’s net worth is $5 million – that’s about R68,25 million which she has accumulated through her successful career as a gospel artist.
Rebecca Malope Albums
- Ukuthula – 2011
- Shwele Baba – 2009
- Uzohamba Nami – 2010
- Amakholwa – 2009
- Siyabonga – 2005
- Ngiyekeleni – 2009
- Saturday Nite – 2009
- Ujehova Ungn’ Madida – 2008
- Buyani – 2009
- Rebecca Sings Gospel – 2009
- Rebecca – 2011
- Iyahamba Lenqola – 2009
- What A Girl Wants – 2007
- Picture Me – 2006
- Greatest Hits – 2006
- Christmas With Rebecca And Friends – 2003, EP
- My Hero – 2009
- Side by Side – 2015, EP
Rebecca Malope Songs
- Usizo Lwam
- Uyingcwele
- Inombolo Yocingo
- Inombolo Yocingo
- Buyani
- Emadlelweni
- Ndihamba Nawe
- Umoya Wam
- Don’t Let Me Die
- Masimdumise
- Jerusalema
- Uthando Lwam
- Ngegazi Lemvana
- Likhona Ikhaya
- Mmele Wajeso
- Shwele Baba
- Umoya Wam’
- Ngiyekeleni’
- Khuluma Nami
- Thank you, Lord
- I will always call him
- Kojabula
- I will be free
- Angingedwa
- Bawelile
- Jesu Ulithemba
- Bless the Lord
- Uthando
- Take my hand
- Ivangeli
- Nkarabe
- I’ll Bide my time
- Modimo Oa Ka
- Andi Nanto
- Zixolise
- Makabongwe
- I Love Him
- Vuselela
- In His Hands
- Isandla
- Moya Wami
- Somlandela
- Going Back
Rebecca Malope Awards
- 1987: Shell Road to Fame Best Female Vocalist
- 1990: OKTV Awards Best Female Artist
- 1993: Cocoa Cola Full blust music show: Best Established Local Artist
- 1994: Cocoa Cola Full blust music show: Best Established Local Artist
- 1995: South African Music Awards Best Contemporary Gospel Album
- 1997: South African Music Awards Best Female Artist
- 1997: South African Music Awards Best Selling Album
- 1998: South African Music Awards Best African Gospel Album
- 1998: South African Music Awards Best Selling African Release Album
- 1998: South African Music Awards Best Selling Album by South African
- 1999: South African Music Awards Best African Gospel.
- 2000: Metro FM Music Awards Best Gospel Album
- 2001: South African Music Awards Best African Gospel Album
- 2002: South African Music Awards Best African Gospel Album
- 2002: Metro FM Music Awards Best Gospel Album
- 2003: South African Music Awards Best African Gospel Album
- 2003: Kora Awards Best Female African Gospel Artist
- 2004: South African Music Awards Best African Gospel Album
- 2005: Metro FM Music Awards Best Gospel Album
- 2006: South African Music Awards Best African/Traditional Gospel Album
- 2007: South African Music Awards Best African Contemporary Gospel Album
- 2008: SABC Crown Gospel Music Awards Best Artist
- 2009: South African Music Awards Best African Traditional Gospel
- Album
- 2014: South African Music Awards Best Traditional Faith Music Album
- 2015: SABC Crown Gospel Music Awards Classic of All Time
Frequently Asked Questions About Rebecca Malope
Who is Malope?
She is a South African gospel musician who was one of the judges in the clash of choirs South Africa.
How old is Malope?
She is 51 years old. Rebecca was born on 30th June 1968.
How tall is Malope?
She stands at a height of 5 feet 11 inches.
Is Malope married?
She is married to Themba Tshabalala a manager in an import and export firm.
How much is Malope worth?
Rebecca Malope’s net worth is $5 million – that’s about R68,25 million.
How much does Malope make?
The information about the amount of money she earns is not known but will be updated as soon as it’s available.
Where does Malope live?
She currently lives in Johannesburg.
Is Malope dead or alive?
She is still alive and in good health.
Where is Malope now?
She is still working on her music career.
What happened to Malope?
She was born prematurely after her father beat her mother while she was pregnant.
Rebecca Malope Social Media Handles
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