Blaq Diamond, is a popular Afro pop duo comprised of Ndumiso Mdletshe and Sphelele Dunywa, who hail from Ladysmith KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.
Their journey in music began in 2010 when they crossed paths during a school excursion and bonded over their shared love for music. This connection led to an unforgettable impromptu jam session on the school bus.
After signing with Ambitiouz Entertainment, they released their first album, Inqola, in 2017, which quickly soared to the top spot on the iTunes charts.
REAL FACTS ABOUT BLAQ DIAMOND
FULL NAME: Ndumiso Mdletshe
Sphelele Dunywa
DATE OF BIRTH: May 7, 1993
PLACE OF BIRTH: Ladysmith, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
NATIONALITY: South Africans
OCCUPATIONs: Singers, Songwriters, Rappers
LABELs: Ambitiouz Entertainment (Former)Umuthi Records (Current
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
During a school trip in 2010, they bonded through an impromptu rap session on the school bus, igniting a friendship that led them to discover a shared love for music.
As they began performing together at school functions and gatherings, their talent caught the attention of their community, establishing them as popular local artists.
In their pursuit of better opportunities in the music industry, the duo made the brave decision to move to Johannesburg.
Despite facing initial difficulties in a new city without any connections, they persevered by taking on regular jobs to support themselves while laying the foundation for their musical dreams.
CAREER
In early 2017, Blaq Diamond signed with Ambitiouz Entertainment and started working on their first album.
Their singles “Sthandwa” and “Emzini kaBaba” were released in June 2019, with the latter accompanied by a music video.
Their album “Inqola” was released in the winter of 2017 and received critical acclaim for its fusion of Afro-soul, Maskandi, and umBhaqanga influences, resulting in a modern and youthful sound.
The duo received two nominations at the 24th South African Music Awards (SAMA) and made their debut live performance in Pietermaritzburg in 2018 at a local fashion show.
Blaq Diamond, a South African music duo, released their song “Memeza” featuring Sjava on May 2, 2019. The song gained popularity and reached number 9 on the Radio Airplay Charts.
Following this success, they released their next single, “Ibhanoyi,” on August 2, which quickly climbed to number one on iTunes. The song also won the Record of the Year award at the South African Music Awards.
On January 23, 2020, Blaq Diamond released their third single, “Love Letter,” which peaked at number 3 on iTunes and number 11 on the Radio Airplay Charts.
They then released their second album, Umuthi, on January 31, 2020, which featured collaborations with artists such as Sjava, Ci Ci, Thee Legacy, and Igcokama Elisha. The album debuted at number one on the iTunes Albums Charts.
In June 2020, Blaq Diamond formed Umuthi Records in partnership with Ambitiouz Entertainment.
They continued to collaborate with other artists, including DJ Miss Pru, before releasing their hit single “Summer YoMuthi” in November 2020. The song topped the Channel 0 Top 30 music chart.
On June 4th, Blaq Diamond released the single “Messiah” featuring Dumi Mkokstad, which quickly gained popularity and accumulated 3 million views on YouTube.
Their previous hit, “Summer YoMuthi,” received recognition at the 6th All Africa Music Awards, receiving eight nominations, including Song of the Year in Africa.
On October 29, they released a song called “Italy”. However, by December 2021, the duo decided to part ways with Ambitiouz Entertainment.
Moving forward to early September 2022, they gave a sneak peek of their new single “Qoma” on Instagram, which features Big Zulu and Siya Ntuli.
Their album titled “Zulu Romance” was released on February 29, 2024. It is a captivating blend of afro-pop with influences from maskandi and isichathamiya. The album was supported by the singles “Qoma” and “Mangibona Wena”.
PERSONAL LIFE
Blaq Diamond is known for their discreet nature when it comes to their personal lives.
They choose to maintain a level of privacy that sets them apart in the often scrutinized world of music and entertainment.
Despite their growing fame and success, the duo prefers to keep details about their personal relationships, families, and daily activities away from the public eye.
