iriam Makeba was born in Johannesburg South Africa in 1932. Even though she did not write the original lyrics of the song, Malaika, she popularized it as soon as her own version came out. In 1977, during the FESTAC festival in Lagos, Nigeria, Miriam Makeba electrified the audience in the main bowl of the FESTAC theater, Iganmu, Lagos, when she sang the song Malaika. Swaying her body in synchronicity with the rhythm of the song and using her ever sultry voice, she masterfully delivered the song to the delight of the fans. She received a standing ovation for that performance. She was also the first African artist to win the Grammy award in the United States. That was in 1966. This gave her a global platform.

https://youtu.be/pmb1DznfSso?si=oJ2-FOXeX3a-kY7p

Yes, she was a singer, but she used her voice not just for singing. She was exiled from South Africa during the Apartheid regime because of her continued fight against the evil regime, using her voice in international circles. She proved to the Apartheid regime that they could banish her from her homeland but could not silence her. Because from that moment on, she added her voice, even in a stronger way, in criticizing the apartheid regime and sensitizing others around the world to the evils inherent in that ruthless system of government.

When apartheid finally fell, recognizing that her voice was part of what made it happen, she was warmly welcomed to South Africa. She died in November of 2008 in Italy

Enjoy the music