Singer and former Soil member Buhlebendalo ‘Buhle’ Mda has celebrated a major milestone in her solo career by taking her newly won Basadi in Music Award to her grandparents to receive their blessings.
Buhle was crowned Traditional Artist of the Year at the 2026 Basadi in Music Awards, held at Joburg Theatre on 8 August 2026. She won the award for her song Zulu, marking an important moment in her journey as a solo artist.
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Buhlebendalo Mda includes grandparents in her win
Rather than simply celebrating the accolade publicly, Mda chose to bring the award home to her grandparents — a gesture that reflected the importance of family, heritage and spiritual grounding in her life and music.
Speaking about the recognition, the singer said she believed she received the award at the right time in her life. She had previously been nominated in the same category but felt that she was now in a space where she understood why the recognition had come her way.
Buhle said, “Maybe I wasn’t ready to receive it, but now I’m in a space where I understand why I was nominated.”
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Reflecting on her journey
Her connection to traditional and spiritual expression has been central to her artistic journey as she underwent the traditional initiation process of intswaso in 2016 and released her debut solo album, Chosi, in 2020.
Her solo work has drawn heavily on her spiritual experiences and her calling as a traditional healer.
The Basadi win, therefore, comes as more than another addition to her trophy cabinet. By taking the award to her grandparents for blessings, Buhle highlighted the generational connection that continues to influence her creative and spiritual journey.
For her, the moment is both personal and professional: a hard-earned solo achievement brought back to the people whose blessings and heritage remain part of the foundation of her journey.
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