CandyTsamandebe

Johannesburg

Born Mosekedi Candy Mokwena and widely known as Candy Tsamandebele, this amazing vocal prowess was born on 19 June 1970 in a musical family at Ga- Sedibeng village, Bolobedu, under the revered Rain Queen Modjadji’s leadership in the Limpopo Province. Musically colourful as her name suggests, Candy Tsamandebele’s musical career started after she was initiated into her mother’s traditional music group known as Khekhapa in Bolobedu. Khekhapa was first created in the region to serve as a platform to teach and instill cultural values - through song and dance. For Khekhapa to come alive, songs were composed with just drums, vocals, and choreography to produce rich and distinguished sound that could be identified specifically to the Balobedu people. Her mother, who was the group leader and the percussionist of the act, made sure Candy Tsamandebele was always presentable with the right attire and matching beads during performances, the tradition which she still carries today.