Jeremy Loops and Ladysmith Black Mambazo join voices in a historic musical collaboration

In a country where music is as rich and layered as its cultural fabric, few collaborations have struck such a resonant chord as the union between Jeremy Loops and Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

What began as an artistic experiment half a decade ago, has evolved into a profound statement of hope, unity, and shared purpose. Their second collaborative concert titled 'Echoes Between Us,' took place at the Teatro Stage this past weekend.

Loops, who is a folk pop sensation, reached out to legendary, multi-grammy award-winning Ladysmith Black Mambazo, who are known for their isicathamiya music, and they quickly formed a connection.

The group's Sibongiseni Tshabalala says, despite coming from vastly different musical traditions, the partnership was marked not by compromise, but by mutual respect and open creative exchange.

That studio, steeped in history and nostalgia, became a space of intergenerational learning. As Loops recounts with a laugh, “They all called me ‘young blood,’ even though I feel like one of the old boys now, but in comparison to what they’ve done, I suppose I am.”

Since that first meeting, two singles namely, 'This Town' and 'Coming Home' have been produced, the first about belonging, resilience and the rhythms of home, and the second describes love as shelter.

Beyond these originals, the live show will also feature reimagined versions of songs from both artists' catalogues. Loops' hits were transformed with Ladysmith's vocal textures, while Mambazo's classics were performed in ways audiences have never heard before, sometimes with Jeremy’s band, giving the choral legends a new musical backdrop.

Tshabalala said he wanted to showcase to the country that they are a group of people who bring a message of hope and peace. “It has always been a dream of my father to be able to work with other people of other cultures.”

He added that, “we wanted people to come out of the show with a feeling of hope that things will be okay”.

They plan to take their collaboration to other big cities such as Cape Town and beyond.

“We want to take it internationally and see if we can take it to Europe and London, and America. We're going in this true South African spirit of just moving forward with enjoyment and purpose,”said Loops.