Lebo Mathosa was a South African kwaito singer who shook the country with her incredible talent and mind-blowing charisma at the peak of her powers as an entertainer. She made waves with her style and gripped audiences with her live performances. In life, people come and go with some leaving their footprints in the sands of time and others barely being noticed. Mathosa was one woman who ensured she left her footprints on the sands of time.
Lebo Mathosa first sang in a group before leaving to pursue a solo career. For more than ten years, she did music, releasing powerful hits that were listened to across the African continent, and, in the process, got her name on the lips of both the young and old who were left captivated by her incredible sound. Unfortunately, tragedy struck and the music icon passed away without warning in 2006, leaving fans in complete shock.
Lebo Mathosa’s Biography
Lebo Mathosa was given birth to in Daveyton, a township in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality of Gauteng in South Africa. This was where she spent her earliest years and did her elementary school. Eventually, her family left Daveyton and moved to Johannesburg, South Africa’s biggest city. It was in Johannesburg that she attended high school; Mathosa went to St. Mary’s High School.
It was also in Johannesburg that Lebo Mathosa discovered bubblegum music after taking interest in music as a child. It is noteworthy that bubblegum music was popularized by people like Brenda Fassie who happened to be Mathosa’s idol.
Lebo Mathosa’s Incredible Music Career
Lebo Mathosa began to sing when she was just seven years old in her local church choir. She found a lot of happiness when she sang and often left many people impressed by her voice. When she turned 14 years old, she was discovered by Don Laka, a Johannesburg music producer who began to groom her for the big stage.
Eventually, Don Laka put Mathosa in the music group Boom Shaka which he had formed. This was the foundation for the exploits she did as a singer.
Boom Shaka
Boom Shaka which comprised of 4 members including Lebo Mathosa, Junior Sokhela, Theo Nhlengethwa and Thembi Seete found instant success in the ’90s. It went on to become one of the most prominent Kwaito groups in South Africa, launching Mathosa to the kind of fame she wanted to have.
Boom Shaka’s first album, About Time, was highly successful and got the group a cult following as their music became a soundtrack for so many people around South Africa and beyond. The success of Boom Shaka was partly attributed to Mathosa’s sex appeal and charisma.
Solo Career
Even though Boom Shaka was very successful, Lebo Mathosa decided to leave the group and start a solo career in 1999. Soon after, in 2000, she released her debut album called Dream. The album dropped with a bang and even went gold within a month of its launch. The album also fetched her three South African Music Awards including Best Dance Album. It was clear that Mathosa was a complete star who was bent on establishing herself in the industry.
Years later in 2004, she released her second album titled Drama Queen. This album also caught lots of attention, winning her another Best Dance Album award at the South African Music Awards. At the peak of her fame, she topped pop charts in South Africa, was nominated in the Best African Act category of the UK’s Music of Black Origin (MOBO), and travelled around the world to perform her music. She became a role model for many young South African women and gained a cult-like following in the country.
Mathosa is also revered for being a pioneer in the field of copyrights for South African artists as she was able to negotiate and secure full publishing rights and ownership for her work, setting an unprecedented trend for other musicians.
The Sad Story Of How Lebo Mathosa Died
At the peak of her powers as a musician, Lebo Mathosa sadly passed away. Fans were horrified and completely shocked when news emerged on the 23rd of October 2006 that their beloved singer had did. The news brought things to a standstill as people tried to make sense of what had happened.
According to reports, Lebo Mathosa died in an accident in the early hours of October 23. She was travelling with her driver in her Toyota Prado on the N3 Highway on the East Rand when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The car overturned and killed Lebo Mathosa instantly. According to some reports, she had just finished partying with friends when this shocking incident happened. Her death threw the music industry in great shock.
Interesting Facts You May Not Have Known About Her
1. She got nominated as one of Africa’s sexiest women
Lebo Mathosa was known for her sex appeal and stage antics. She was often hailed by fans to be one of the sexiest women in the industry. She was later nominated by the British multinational men’s lifestyle magazine FHM as one of Africa’s sexiest women.
2. She was once named the Best Dressed Woman of the Year
Lebo Mathosa knew how to catch attention with her dressing. As a matter of fact, her dress sense was one reason why she charmed the public with her presence. In 2001, the singer won the Style Best Dressed Woman of the Year Award.
3. She tried her hands at acting
Mathosa did not just stop at singing; she also tried acting. She starred in the local soapy Muvhango and also appeared in other TV soap operas including Generations, Backstage and Muvhango. She also appeared in the film Soldiers of The Rock
4. She wanted to start her own record label
At the time of her sad death, Lebo Mathosa was trying to set up her own record label. Mathosa was always adventurous and wanted to try new things every now and then. Sadly, this dream of hers to own a record label never materialized.
5. A biopic about her life caused controversy
A biopic about the life of Mathosa which was titled Dream: The Lebo Mathosa Story was released in 2019, some 13 years after her death. However, the biopic which was released on the BET Africa Network caused some controversy because of the casting choice.
Many fans argued that KB Motsinyalane and Bahumi Madisakwane, the actresses who were cast to portray adult and teenage Mathosa respectively in the biopic were not the right people to have been cast for the role. According to them, other actresses who looked more like Mathosa should have been given the job.
Complete profile of Lebo Mathosa
| Lebo Mathosa | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Lebogang Mathosa |
| Date of Birth | 17 July 1977 |
| Date of death | 23 October 2006 |
| Age | 29 years at death |
| Zodiac Sign | Cancer |
| Place of Birth | Daveyton, Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Nationality | South African |
| Career | Singer and Actress |
| Education | St. Mary's High School |
| Father | Madimetsha Gerriet Mathosa(foster father) |
| Mother | Judy Peter(biological mother) Nomvula Magdeline(foster mother) |
| Siblings | Queen Mathosa |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Spouse | NA |
| Boyfriend | NA |
| Children | NA |
| Net Worth | R1 million |
| Source of Income | Estate, Singing and Acrting |
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