Miriam Makeba began her professional trajectory in the 1950s performing with groups such as the Cuban Brothers and the Manhattan Brothers. Her musical range encompassed jazz, traditional African melodies, and Western popular styles. This early work laid the foundation for a career that eventually brought global recognition to African musical genres and established her as a prominent voice in international civil rights activism.
Early Career and International Breakthrough
Before achieving international fame, Makeba performed with the all-woman group the Skylarks. Her presence in the 1959 anti-apartheid film Come Back, Africa provided a significant platform for her, leading to performances in London and Venice. Upon relocating to New York City in the early 1960s, she released her debut solo album. Her professional momentum continued throughout the decade, highlighted by the 1967 release of her most successful song, Pata Pata, and a 1965 Grammy Award for Best Folk Recording earned alongside Harry Belafonte.
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Makeba used her global platform to testify against the South African government before the United Nations. Her marriage to Black Panther leader Stokely Carmichael in 1968 diminished her support among white American audiences, and her subsequent loss of residency rights in the United States forced a relocation to Guinea. Throughout her period of exile, she maintained her advocacy, performing at independence celebrations across Africa and recording music that directly addressed the struggle against the apartheid system, most notably the 1977 song Soweto Blues.
Return and Later Years
Following the dismantling of apartheid in 1990, Makeba returned to her homeland of South Africa. She continued to record and perform, including notable collaborations with Nina Simone and Dizzy Gillespie in 1991. In 1992, she appeared in the film Sarafina!. Beyond her musical contributions, she served as an FAO Goodwill Ambassador starting in 1999. Her life concluded in 2008 in Castel Volturno, Italy, where she died following a heart attack during a concert performance.
Fast facts
- Born: 1932, Johannesburg
- Died: 2008, Castel Volturno
- Occupations: Singer, actor, composer, musician
- Citizenship: South Africa, Algeria
- Notable Award: Polar Music Prize (2002)
- Notable Award: Commander of the Legion of Honour (2002)
- Notable Award: Order of Ikhamanga in Gold (2009)
- Languages: English, Xhosa
Questions readers ask
What were the primary musical influences on Miriam Makeba?
She was influenced by traditional African melodies, jazz, and Western popular music, as well as the records of artists like Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald.
How did Makeba contribute to the civil rights movement?
She testified against the South African government at the United Nations and used her music to criticize the apartheid system.
Achievements
- Polar Music Prize — 2002
- Otto Hahn Peace Medal — 2001
- Order of Ikhamanga in Gold — 2009
- Commander of the Legion of Honour — 2002
- Instruments: voice
- Genres: marabi, rock music and world music
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