TheWorldCupsong"WakaWaka",byZolaniMaholaandShakira,hasanincredible
historybehindit...
ZolaniMaholagrewupinSouthAfricaduringthe1980s.Theracialseparatistsystem of
apartheidwasineffect-andmusicwasaform ofresistance.
Asachild,Zolaniremembershearingpeoplesingingoutsideasshestoodinthekitchen-
andbeingtotallymesmerised-asthemusicdrewherintothecrowd.
"Itwasthesong,theharmonies,theblendingofallthosedifferentvoices,andtheunity-I
couldn'thelpbutjoinin,"shesays.
PeoplesangaboutfreeingNelsonMandela-theanti-Apartheidresistanceleaderwho
wastheninprison,butwouldlaterbecomethecountry'sfirstblackpresident.
Themusical,joyousprotestsoftenendedatthetopofZolani'sstreet-wheresoldiers
threwteargastodispersethecrowds.
Zolanisaysthatunderapartheid,herfather-arespectedmemberofhiscommunity-
wouldbecalled'boy'ifheinteractedwithwhitepeople.
Sherememberstryingtoreturnadroppedcointoawhitemanwhowasoutwithhis
daughter-andthewayhelookedatherchilledher.
"Ijustremembernotbeingseenasaperson,asalittlegirl.Itwasashockingthing,"she
says.
Herfamilytriedtoshieldherfrom theworstabusesofapartheid,butwhenshewassix,
Zolani'smotherpassedaway-andherfatherwithdrewintohimself,becoming
unreachableforawhile.
Zolanifoundrefugeinactingandsinging."Entertainmentbecomesuchanimportantthing
forus,asitgaveustheseworldstoimmerseourselvesin,"shesays.
AtuniversityinCapeTown,shebecametheleadsingerofthepioneeringmulti-racial
band,Freshlyground,whichwentontobecomeverysuccessful.
Whilethebandwasrecordingtheirfourthalbum inNewYork,theyweretoldthata
producerfortheColombianmusiciconShakirawantedtospeaktothem...
Theproduceralreadyhadabeatandachorus,basedonaWestAfricansongwrittenin
the80sbyamarchingbandfrom Cameroon.ZolaniandFreshlygroundmadetheirmark
onthetrackwithasoulfulbridgeandtheirsignaturesound.
"Ifoundaplayfulmelodyandbasedthelyricsoffalittlegameweusedtoplaywhenwe
werekids,"saysZolani.
Thesong,WakaWaka,wasselectedastheofficialsongforthefirstandonlyAfrican
WorldCupsofar-hostedbyZolani'shomenation,SouthAfrica.Itbecamethemost
streamedFifaWorldCupsongever.
"WhenIlookbackonthattime...Iaskmyselfwhatitistobeincommunitytoday,"says
Zolani."I'm nolongerthatchildbeingpulledintothecrowd.I'm anadultintheroom."
Herupcomingalbum iscalledPeoplePower,andithonoursallofthosewhohelped
overturnApartheid.
End of Document
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