Today marks one of the saddest days in SOUTH African history, the day one of our brightest stars was snuffed out in her youth. Lebo Mathosa was a beloved part of all our lives and I still remember where I was when I found out she wa gone. The news for the next week had been lamenting her loss. Lebo Mathosa, gone before she could even reach her thirties.

The real tragedy of her death was being cut off at her prime. She had gotten her freedom from her record label, she had released an award winning album and she was a sought after performer. It was meant to be her time to take over but instead it was the end. That part will always be inevitably disappointing.

But her life was meant to be celebrated and we will continue to do just that. I wanted to use this article to highlight my favourite moments of her career and life. Feel free to add more in the comments.

The Boom Shaka Braids

The whole aesthetic of the group was widely copied by everyone from the nineties! Who didnt love the long braids tied up at the top with a cute head wrap? It was an undeniably legendary time to be alive. To this day, that style is still emulated by everyone. It was a truly timeless experience.

The baby faces of both Lebo and Thembi Seete on reflection, are so cute. I didn’t realise it back then, but they were very young in an unforgiving industry.

Lebo the Triple Threat

I can’t say that she started the trend of moving from singing and dancing to acting but she surely perfected it! I remember being excited to see her acting on Backstage and Generations. She was also an exquisite dancer on top of having legendary vocals. A true triple threat!

Lebo the Powerhouse Live Perfomer

Lebo was already an amazing singer, but once she was on stage? It didn’t matter who came on there before her, you would only remember her perfomance. She had the energy and drive of a million performers and she made sure to be as provocative on stage as off it! Blonde hair Lebo was my favourite one. She was dynamite on stage!

What is your favourite Lebo Mathosa moment?