Steve Kekana was an iconic Mbaqanga vocalist who rose to the top of South Africa's pop scene during the 1980s. Born in Zebediela on August 4, 1958, he lost his eyesight at five years old and began singing shortly thereafter. He made his official debut with the self-titled album Steve Kekana in 1977, followed by a pair of releases — Nomsa Ntombi Yami and Mokhotse Oa Hao — in 1979. By the end of that year, Steve Kenana had won the South African Broadcasting Corporation's Black Music Award for "Best Male Vocalist," an award he won once again in 1980. Songs like 1980's "Raising My Family," 1982's "The Bushman," and 1983's "Feel So Strong" became some of the most enduring South African hits of the decade, with "Feel So Strong" peaking at Number 6 on the country's Springbok Radio Chart. As Steve Kekana's career progressed, his popularity extended beyond his homeland and into much of Europe. He eventually released more than 20 albums, with Iphupho (1980), Third Time Lucky (1985), and Isithombe Sami (2009) all serving as career highlights. Along the way, he expanded the traditional boundaries of Mbaqanga music, making room for R&B, pop, and soul. Three years after releasing his final album, 2018's Ubuntu, he passed away in Polokwane on July 1, 2021, at 62 years old.
