Christmas came early for popular, multi-award-winning poet and praise singer Vendaboy Poet and his fans.
Later this month, he is set to release his eighth studio album. As if that were not enough, the popular praise singer will also kick off his European tour on 19 September in Switzerland, concluding on 12 October in Italy.
Vendaboy believes the tour will open many doors for him. "This tour is a significant milestone for the praise poetry industry, and it solidifies my status as an international artist. By sharing South African culture and heritage with the world, I aim to showcase the richness and diversity of African languages through poetry. This is not just a tour, but a dream come true, not only for me as a poet but for the poetry industry as a whole, especially in African languages," he said.
He is also optimistic about the release of his much-anticipated eighth album, titled Ndele. "'Ndele' translates to 'Spotless,' reflecting my commitment to pristine artistry," Vendaboy said. The album was purposefully timed for release during September, which is Heritage Month.
"This album celebrates Vhavenda heritage, culture and tradition through poetry and music. Having represented my tribe in numerous African countries, my goal is to make poetry fashionable and respected globally. Thanks to the financial support of the South African Music Rights Organization, this project is now a reality. Stay tuned for the album drop this Heritage Month. I would have loved to release it here at home, but I will perform some of the new material while on the European tour," he added.
Vendaboy Poet has come a long way. He is the only Venda artist to have performed before a sitting president on two occasions.
Born in Ha-Nthabalala village, Vendaboy matriculated at Nthabiseng High School. He began writing and reciting poetry in 2008, producing work in six languages: Sepedi, Tshivenda, Tsonga, IsiZulu, IsiXhosa and English. He has been recognised numerous times for his poetry, winning several awards, including Best Poet at the Tshivenda Music Awards (TSHIMA) in 2012 and Best Praise Poet at the South African Traditional Music Awards in 2018.