When Ringo Madlingozi released his debut solo album in 1996 it marked the start of a remarkable career that has spanned nearly three decades and is set to continue flourishing, with new music scheduled for release in 2024.
Born in Gugulethu, Cape Town, Sindile “Ringo” Madlingozi (his nickname coming from his mother who noted his ability to sing and play drums, like The Beatles’ Ringo Starr, at an early age) cut his musical teeth in an acapella group at school and then as the singer of the group Ikwezi.
In 1986 he joined Afro-Jazz band Peto which became a crossover favourite and, later, with fellow Peto member, Alan Cameron, he formed the reggae-leaning Gecko Moon. His enviable versatility as a vocalist was established in these early years but it was only with the release of “Vukani” (“Wake Up”) in 1996 that Ringo’s now legendary signature sound was given its first platform.
Ringo Madlingozi acknowledges the debt of gratitude he owes to Chris Blackwell in having the confidence to shine a light on his original material: on meeting Blackwell in the mid-1990s, the renowned producer and founder of Island Records gently encouraged Ringo to make music about the people, places, language and culture that he knew best. This led directly to “Vukani” which, together with his follow-up records, resulted in Ringo becoming a favourite of both fans and critics alike.
Among the many accolades that have studded his career are Best Male Vocalist in both the 1998 and 1999 South African Music Awards (SAMA) as well as Best Male Artist (Southern Africa) and Best Male Artist (South Africa) and Best Male Vocalist (African Continent) at the 1998 and 1999 Kora awards respectively. His live shows matched the power of the music, and resulted in the multi-platinum selling CD and DVD, Ringo Live!, now titled Greatest Hits Live at the South African , as well as performances internationally, among them at the North Sea Jazz Festival (Netherlands) and the New Orleans Jazz Festival (USA) as well as dates in the UK, France, Netherlands, Spain and Germany.
His unique voice and musical style also earned Ringo Madlingozi the ear of his peers and in the late 1990s he collaborated with internationally acclaimed group UB40 as part of the United Nations global AIDS awareness programme, recording the Xhosa lyrics of “Cover Up”. As he eyes the release of new music in 2024, the singer, producer and songwriter is excited about this next phase of his music career. As his Instagram puts it, Ringo is “Born an artist. Still an artist. Will die an artist”.
