Affectionately dubbed “The White Zulu”, one of South Africa’s most celebrated sons, Johnny Clegg, returns to New Zealand for one concert only.

A singer, songwriter, dancer, anthropologist and a musical activist whose infectious crossover music, Clegg delivers a vibrant blend of Western pop and African Zulu rhythms. Clegg was last in New Zealand in 2009 and thrilled audiences. His explosive stage show will include his greatest hits such as Impi, Scatterings of Africa, African Sky Blue, I Call your Name and many well-known favourites that pack his 90-minute performance.

Over three decades, he has sold over five million albums worldwide and has wowed vast audiences with his audacious live shows and won a number of national and international awards for his music and for his outspoken views on apartheid, his perspectives on migrant workers in South Africa and the general situation in the world today. Johnny Clegg’s history is as bold, colourful and dashing as the rainbow country which he has called home for more than 40 years.

Clegg has performed on all four of Nelson Mandela’s 46664 Aids Awareness Concerts in South Africa and in Norway. Mandela has joined him on stage during the rendition of Asimbonanga, a song written by Johnny about Mandela (and other struggle heroes) during his period of incarceration. At every live performance of this song, the audience, charged with emotion, spontaneously rises to their feet. During the Cape Town and Tromso 46664 shows, Johnny also performed duets of his work with Peter Gabriel.

Johnny’s haunting refrain Impi (meaning “Zulu warriors” or "War") regularly echoes within any South African Rugby stadium which, together with his song Great Heart from the movie Jock of The Bushveld and The Crossing (written for Dudu Ndlovu, his Zulu dance partner in the Savuka era), has achieved anthem status with crowds in his home country. Other notable hits penned by Johnny Clegg include, amongst others, I Call Your Name, Scatterlings of Africa, African Sky Blue, Take My Heart Away, African Shadow Man, December African Rain, Kilimanjaro, Fever and many more.

Recently awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of the Witwatersrand for his contribution to music, Johnny, a former Grammy nominee and Billboard music award winner, still tours regularly, both at home and abroad, with dates pegged for 2011 in Europe and north America. Be sure not to miss his dynamic live act should it come your way.