Nkosi Sikelela iAfrika!!! When a national anthem turns into a heartfelt prayer and worship! An absolute masterpiece of beauty!
Western Cape, South Africa (23 May 2021) – The Stellenbosch University Choir recorded their version of Nkosi Sikelela iAfrika before COVID-19 took hold of South Africa and it is difficult not to be affected by the sheer power of this work each time you hear it.
“Nkosi Sikelela iAfrika” is a Christian hymn originally composed in 1897 by Enoch Sontonga, a Xhosa clergyman at a Methodist mission school near Johannesburg. The song became a pan-African liberation song and versions of it were later adopted as the national anthems of five countries in Africa including Zambia, Tanzania, Namibia and Zimbabwe after independence. Zimbabwe and Namibia have since adopted new compositions for their national anthems.
In 1994, Nelson Mandela decreed that the verse be embraced as a joint national anthem of South Africa, with a revised version including elements of “Die Stem” adopted in 1997.
But it’s the Stellenbosch Choir’s rendition that is giving us all the feels! The performance was recorded before COVID-19 but is currently trending on YouTube and viewers are all commenting on how beautiful it is!
“This is far the most heart-warming rendition of our South African Anthem, it’s our sincere prayer to our Heavenly Father as we battle with the Conoravirus. God Help us.” – Emmanuel Bhebhe
“This is the only prayer Africa needs right now amid the rising Covid-19 cases.” – Tshepiso Tau
“I’ve listened to this rendition countless times now since I found it a couple of weeks ago. Really hauntingly beautiful. Having lived in SA for a few years, I feel such a connection with the country and people there! This makes me want to visit again soon.” – Astrum
“When a national anthem turns into a heartfelt prayer and worship! Absolute masterpiece of beauty!” – Dirk Hoekstra
Watch the video here:
The Stellenbosch University Choir was founded in 1936 under the baton of William Morris. After him, various conductors established the ensemble as an influential South African choir.
The Choir, an ensemble of approximately 80 – 100 voices, has won international acclaim through performances, concert tours, and participation in prestigious festivals and competitions.
And only a few of the students in the group actually study music!
The University choir is one of the most celebrated in South Africa with various awards from around the world… at the World Choir Games in Bremen (2004) they won the category for Mixed Youth Choirs and in Graz, Austria (2008), they won the category for Musica Sacra. During July 2010, the Stellenbosch University Choir took part in the 6th World Choir Games in China and won the categories Contemporary Music as well as Mixed Choirs. The Choir won the latter category with 95.75 points – 8 points more than the choir that came second and with the highest score of the whole competition.
Recently, the choir competed in the 7th World Choir Games in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. They won the Mixed Choirs and Musica Sacra categories with 93.50 points and 96.88 points, respectively and placed second in the Popular Choral Music category with 91.25 points. Not only was their score of 96.88 points in Musica Sacra the highest in the category, but also the highest score ever attained by any choir in any category at the World Choir Games.