VENDA KIDS - Ditshiwana (1992)

Music Team/Leopard, WHR(C)104

Producers: John Galanakis & RF Gumbi

Engineers: John Galanakis & RF Gumbi

The Venda Kids were a big-selling boy band synonymous for most of their career with the Hit City stable under the stewardship of producer John Galanakis. The band consisted of the Singo brothers Ntango, Mahana and Ndivha, along with various friends. They released popular albums like Wake-Up (1985) and The Lord is My Shepherd (1986). For 1989’s Rambo they trimmed their name to simply The V Kids, but reverted to the full name for 1992’s Ditshiwana. By this time the kids were growing up, and thankfully this album no longer has their characteristic unbroken voices, making it arguably their finest effort.

* Mint copies of this album are for sale here.

VENDA KIDS - Wake-Up (1985)

Leopard/Hit City, LEO(A)085

Producers: Banzi Khubeka & John Galanakis

Engineer: John Galanakis

Composer: S. Singo

Recorded at: Platinum

Early album by the Venda Kids, a popular family band featuring the Singo brothers Ntango, Makana and Ndivha, along with others, with tracks composed by their dad Samson Singo and produced by the Hit City duo of Banzi Kubheka and John Galanakis (who also recorded together as Banjo). Benefitting from impressive guitar skills and some smooth synths, what gave the band their signature sound was a chorus of adolescent vocals. Titles include 'Goodbye Baby', 'What is the Matter with You', 'I am an Orphan' and and the gospel 'I want to Follow my Lord'. The album was followed in 1986 by The Lord is my Shepherd. By 1989 they had shortened their name to the V Kids and released the album Rambo.