Sarah Boulle

The Zulu choir, called Connections, is based in a rural area called Kwa Nuyswa, situated between Durban and Pietermaritzburg in the Valley of a Thousand Hills region. This developing region is challenged by high rates of poverty, unemployment, crime, substance abuse and HIV/AIDS. More than 60 percent of the population in this region is HIV-Positive, and a high proportion of children are orphaned due to the HIV/AIDS crisis.

The participating Australian musicians, who came from Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales and Queensland, were carefully selected from a pool of applicants, and they all demonstrated outstanding musical ability in their relevant area, plus a desire to use their skill and passion for music to make a difference in the world. The team, all of whom are aged under 26, included a bass player, an electric guitarist, an acoustic guitarist, and djembe drummer, a rap artist and singers covering varying styles including pop, funk rock, folk, punk and Irish.

Together Connections Choir and the Australian team formed the group 'Simunye Sound'. Over a two week period the group wrote and recorded seven amazing songs – all of which are a mix of Australian and South African sounds and musical styles. The lyrics are in both Zulu and English, and the songs range from rap that mixes Australian Hip Hop with South African Kwaito to songs that merges traditional Zulu music with punk-rock Australian vocals, deep bass lines, beautiful duets to lovely ballads this unique experiance has uncovered truly an amazing new sound that is well worth the listen!