Johnny Clegg, whose real name is Jonathan Clegg, was a South African singer-songwriter of English origin nicknamed the 'white Zulu', an artist who could boast of being the first in this country to have formed a 'mixed' group at the ethnic level and this in the midst of apartheid. Group named 'Juluka', a group of which he was a member at the same time as the black artist Sipho Mchunu.
Young Jonathan's artistic career really started around the age of 14 when he met street musician Charlie Mzila, a musician who taught him the basics of Zulu dancing and singing for nearly 2 years.
It was two years later in 1969 that the young artist crossed paths with Sipho Mchunu during a guitar competition. The two will start playing together in unofficial places to avoid the wrath of Apartheid but this will not prevent them from being arrested several times and beaten during these various arrests.
They will have to wait for almost 7 years before being able to produce a first title "Woza Friday" in 1976, a title with great success in esteem. But it is especially the album "Men" which was released 3 years later in 1979 which will finally project them into the light thanks to particularly rave reviews.
New album "African litany" in 1981, album which confirms the status of phenomenon of the moment of the group in South Africa in particular thanks to the title "Impi".
The following album "Ubuhle bemvelo" will go a little more unnoticed than its predecessors in 1982. A year 1982 saved narrowly and especially in what way by the release of a new album called "Scaterlings". Enormous album which will produce what will undoubtedly remain as one of the reference titles of the entire discography of the artist, namely "Scaterlings of Africa", a Single which will be a real worldwide hit that year.
Other albums will be released later including "Work for all" in 1983, "Stand your ground" and "Musa ukungilandela" in 1984. Albums of certain quality but which will not manage to produce a title of the level of "Scaterlings of Africa".
The Juluka adventure ends in 1986 with the departure of Mchunu who prefers to resume a simpler life and more in tune with his ancestral roots above all.
Clegg reformed in the wake of a new group named 'Savuka' with Dudu Zulu, a group that will produce a year later in 1987 a first album called "Third world child". Album which will be a hit on a planetary level and launch the group in a sensational way on the front of the international scene, in particular thanks to the flagship Single "Asimbonanga (Mandela)".
New album "Shadow man" the following year in 1988, album with certain success but which will not produce an international hit.
It is the album "Cruel, crazy beautiful world", which was released in 1989, which will allow the group to make talking about him again in a notorious way thanks to the titles "Dela" and "Cruel, crazy beautiful world".
The group will release a last album "Heat, dust and dreams" in 1993, posthumous album for Dudu Zulu. Indeed, he will be shot dead the same year while intervening in a mediation linked to a taxi war...
Juluka will reform for the time of a last album "Crocodile love" in 1997 then the artist will end up solo and produce several albums thereafter. Albums with limited success to say the least…
Artist who will leave us on July 16, 2019 following pancreatic cancer at the age of 66.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others…) :
Woza friday 1976
Sky people 1979
Universal men 1979
Unkosibomvu 1979
Impi 1981
African sky blue 1981
African litany 1981
Umfazi omdala 1982
Bazothini 1982
Umgane wami 1982
Two humans on the run 1982
Siyayilanda 1982
Scartellings of Africa 1982
December african rain 1983
Baba nango 1983
Kilimanjaro 1984
Fever 1984
Izinhlobo nezinhlobo zabantu 1984
Trouble - Musa Ukungilandela 1984
Ibhola lethu 1984
Asimbonanga (Mandela) 1987
Are you ready 1987
Great heart 1987
Too early for the sky 1988
I call your name 1988
Take my heart away 1988
Cruel crazy beautiful world 1989
Dela 1989
Rolling ocean 1989
These days 1993
The crossing (Osiyeza) 1993
When the system has fallen 1993
Colours of change 2002
New world survivor 2002
Daughter of Eden 2006
The revolution will eat it's children 2006
Utshani obulele 2006
I know that sound 2010
King of time 2017
I've been looking 2017
Oceanearth 2017
Clips :
1976... who would imagine with this first title that this duo contains one of the future stars of the international music scene. Not many people, that's for sure...
1979...especially since his musical style is unorthodox. A unique trademark that will remain his until the end...
1979...a style that mixes modernity and ancestral roots. Not necessarily his since he is part of the white South African community but which he will have perfectly assimilated over the years...
1979... ancestral roots of the black community that he will succeed in integrating perfectly into a musical style that is nevertheless modern. Mighty feat...
1981...the year of take-off. We are not talking about a frank and massive take-off but about take-off all the same, which is already not bad...
1981... the duo begins to make more and more people talk about him despite fierce opposition from black and white communities to this unexpected musical mix...
1981... the 2 South African communities are still entrenched in their security zone at the start of the 1980s and this duo inevitably calls out to the highest point...
1982...the year 1981 will have offered them their first successes but it is the year 1982 which will really make them pass from shadow to light, at least on a planetary level...
1982...for the big take-off it's not for now but we're getting closer slowly but surely. Patience, patience...
1982...they will just have to refine the style and sound a little bit more because they are still too typical of South Africa. But it's really not missing much, that's clear...
1982...a 1982 year of excess in terms of titles. Everything is now in place so that the duo can show what they are really capable of...
1982...it won't be that time yet, but it could be that the next title is the right one. And the success they will achieve with the next title will exceed all their expectations...
1982...the title that will literally explode the duo to the highest level and make them one of the true phenomena of the beginning of the 80s. When modernity and ancestral customs give the best of themselves, we see the result. HU-GE !
1983...difficult for this title to compete with the huge steamroller that preceded it. But no matter, now that the duo have reached the highest level, all that remains is for them to unroll...
1983... and to unroll, it will unroll. Admittedly at a lower level, but it could be that the duo will make talking about him again in a very positive way later...
1984...certainly not right away but it is clear that he still has things to offer of more than certain quality. We definitely want more...
1984...the style now fits perfectly with the spirit of the times while retaining a hint of ancestral tunes. The perfect blend...
1984...even if the quality is still there, the success has remained at an average level for a few titles. The duo must not fall asleep too much on their laurels as they say...
1984...they have the potential to be among the best but it is clear that their musical fundamentals will always remain their major asset as well as their main weakness, paradoxically...
1984...come on, no reason to panic at this point, it could be that the sequel proves that there was no reason to worry about them...
1987... the title of the consecration, the real thanks to this title tribute to Nelson Mandela then imprisoned. As much as their first planetary success will have been rhythmic, as much their second will have been a compendium of finesse and lightness. MAS-TER-FUL !
1987... a quality sequel once again but which obviously cannot compete with the title which preceded it as it was so inspired...
1987...a year 1987 where we went from the Juluka duo to the Savuka duo, resulting in a necessarily different mode of operation. But almost identical...
1988...because we can clearly see that each time it was Johnny Clegg who was leading the boat. From the moment he is still present, it is clear that the fundamentals will remain more or less the same...
1988...this new duo will not be able to match the previous one but what it offers is far from deserving, that's clear. Especially when you see the quality of this title there !
1988 ... good job anyway and which can only reassure the future of the duo. There is still a risk of finding them later, there should be no doubt about it for a second...
1989...which will surely remain as the best opus of the new duo. A new opus from which this enormous title will be extracted...
1989...the end of the 80s saw them in particularly good shape. Everything is inspired, everything is fluid but the opposite would have been surprising knowing them...
1989...already 10 years of presence and a more than extensive prize list. For a very typical 'local color' group, it's a feat that should be underlined...
1993...this duo will not go further than this year 1993 because one of the members, namely Dudu Zulu, will be assassinated while trying to mediate during a conflict between taxis. Cruel destiny...
1993...a title which works perfectly and which perfectly proves that this duo still had a bright future ahead of it. Fate will have decided otherwise...
1993... what is certain in any case is that in 2 distinct duets, Clegg will have succeeded in highlighting the Zulu culture like never before...
2002...here is Clegg now solo by force of circumstance and especially fate. It remains to be seen how he will behave musically speaking...
2002...it's clear that something has changed but it's not the same time as during the different duets either. Hence the fact of having to adapt to its new era...
2006... what is certain is that he will never be able to do as well alone as when he was in a duet. Like what the other partner was still essential to him...
2006 ... he does not demerit, that's for sure. But the little + that had made all the difference the previous times on several titles is gone...
2006...but it's still there anyway. And when you see everything he's been through, it's quite a journey of life as they say !
2010...he will still have gone through the 70s, then the 80s, then the 90s, then the 2000s and here he is at the dawn of the 2010s, still determined to continue the adventure...
2017...nearly 40 years after his debut, the artist continues the adventure with the firm intention of not giving up until the end. What a career !
2017... when the son and the father have the incredible chance to share a unique moment singing together, all on a magnificent title. Magical moment !
2017...a unique adventure that will have consecrated the artist as one of the greatest singers of his generation. And who will surely have been one of the most formidable ambassadors of the Zulu culture...
Top Bonus : the story of a lifetime I
Top Bonus : the story of a lifetime II
Wiki :
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
Discography :