Audio: The Madonna of the Townships

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Happy Friday! Everybody knows, an African party is not a party unless the playlist includes Brenda Fassie — and the only song we could think of to properly celebrate the weekend is her irreplaceable "Vul’indela". The South African pop sensation — dubbed "the Madonna of the townships" — enjoyed an illustrious career that propelled her unforgettable voice across the entire continent.

Known as Mabrr amongst her fans and Queen of African Pop to the world, Fassie began her musical journey singing with her mother, a pianist, for tourists in Cape Town. She sang songs of struggle, songs of triumph, and always carried the spirit of the township through her music. Though she enjoyed incredible widespread achievement, Fassie was troubled by personal struggles which led to her untimely death in 2004 but her legacy remains. Nevermind"Waka Waka", Fassie's tunes still reign as Africa’s party anthems!

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