Born 1947 Ohlange Inanda Kwa-Zulu Natal into a musical home. Father guitar player and mother domestic worker. In 1960 at the age of 13 she attends the Durban performance of King Kong All African Jazz Opera and dedicates her life to music. At the age of 19 she is a Gallo Recording artist with the hit song “My Boy Lollypop.” In the midst of starring roles in jazz and theatre stage performance she marries Early Mabuza. Daughter Mpume is born. In 1969 she leaves South Africa with Alfred Herbert's African Follies to Lourenco Marques, Mozambique. She does not return to South Africa and performs in casinos and theatres. She befriends the visiting Conjunto Joao Paulo Academic & Army Band and travels with them to Lisbon, Portugal where she lives for 7 years. She works as a professional singing jazz standards, spirituals and African music .

She also lives and works in London during the 70s collaborating with Ghanaian trumpet player Teddy Osei of Osibisa and South African Malombo drums player, Julian Bahula and his Jabula Happiness band. She performs in Toronto playing gigs with her own band at St Lawrence Hall and joining the cast of Reefer Gladness stage comedy.

In 1985 after 16 years in exile she returns to her home of Durban. She Performs with Bheki Mseleku and guitarist Robert “Doc” Mthalane at the Blue Note in the Hotel California. She names her band Twasa (the initiate) as a symbol of her musical and spiritual re-emergence.

She continues a close working relationship with Europe and Holland in particular where she records and tours her debut album, Babhemu between 1993 and 1995. In 1996 she begins developing the Urban Zulu album at the Bat Centre with Themba Ncamu and Spector Mgwaza. Recordings take place at Downtown Studios in Johannesburg. From late ‘97 she lives in London to lay down the voice tracks with album producer Will Mowatt. In early ’99 her album launch tour is organised by Brad Holmes from the Bassline and Neil Comfort at the Bat Centre. By 2005 cancer returns. SABC create the Vuka Sizwe Benefit Concert. And in 2009 she records Amakholwa Believers. A final testament. June 15 2010 Busi dies at the Chief Albert Luthuli Hospital in Durban.

FROM INANDA TO THE WORLD

1947 · INANDA
Busi Mhlongo is born in Ohlange, Inanda, KwaZulu-Natal, into a musical family.

1960 · THE MOMENT
At thirteen, Busi sees King Kong in Durban and decides that music and performance will be part of her life.

1960s · THE STAGE
She begins recording and performing professionally, building a career across music and theatre in South Africa.

1969 · EXILE
Busi leaves South Africa with Alfred Herbert's African Follies, travelling first to Lourenço Marques in Mozambique and then to Lisbon, where she spends years performing African music, spirituals and jazz standards.

1970s · LONDON & TORONTO
Her international career continues through London and Toronto, where she works with musicians including Teddy Osei of Osibisa, Julian Bahula and the Jabula Happiness Band.

1985 · COMING HOME
After sixteen years away, Busi returns to Durban and forms Twasa, meaning “the initiate”, beginning a new chapter in which music and spirituality become increasingly connected.

1990s · TOP OF THE WORLD CHARTS
Busi develops the sound that becomes Urban Zulu, bringing Zulu musical traditions into conversation with the influences gathered during her years abroad.

2000s · LEGACY
She continues recording and performing, including work associated with Amakholwa / Believers, while remaining an important figure in South African music.

2010 · THE VOICE REMAINS
Busi dies at Chief Albert Luthuli Hospital in Durban on 15 June 2010. Her recordings, performances and influence continue to circulate.