Gugulethu Berita Khumalo is a Zimbabwe-born, South African-based musician who uses the stage name Berita. The Afro-soul singer achieved recognition in 2012 following the release of her hit single Thandolwethu, off her debut studio album named Conquering Spirit. After this she has gone on to release 3 more albums namely; Songs of Empowerment (2014), Berita (2017) and Songs in the Key of Love (2020). Berita became the first solo female and independent artist to achieve a number one song in the new decade when her album’s first track, ‘Jikizinto,’ reached number one on the Radio Monitor charts in South Africa. On the adult contemporary chart-topping duet named Mwana Wa Mai, published in 2014, Berita rubbed elbows with late Zimbabwean music legend Oliver Mtukudzi and Grammy award-winning world-renowned Hugh Masekela, thus cementing her place as an important artist within the African music space.
Berita has performed live at the Bayimba International Festival in Uganda, the Lake of Stars Festival in Malawi, the Jakaranda Music Festival in Zimbabwe, and the Cape Town International Jazz Festival in South Africa. This documentary looks at the musician’s life growing up in the City of Bulawayo, the role played by her maternal grandmother towards her upbringing, moving to New Zealand, falling in love with the guitar in the Eastern Cape in South Africa, and why she aims to live a life full of purpose. We further get to taste her favourite food prepared by her grandmother; Umngqusho (samp and sugar beans).
Pictures used in this post used with permission from Berita.
