SIPHIWE NKABINDE

Siphiwe Sip is a Zulu traditional vocalist, songwriter, actor, praise singer, voice artist, dancer, and musician. He was born in Bergville (Emoyeni), KwaZulu Natal province of South Africa. He has made himself a name as a performing artist, actor, music composer and a vocal coach working his way up from one production to the other. Sip has always striven for a better version of himself through various acting, singing, script writing and dance workshops refining his craft and skills. His career took off when he landed various roles in Umoja – “The Spirit of Togetherness” in 2001 which toured the world. In 2009 his skill was received by several theatre productions like Kwela Bafana, iLembe, Madiba African Opera, Exit Exist, Music in The Air, Amandla Cultural Ensemble, King Kong Musical, Cion, and children’s theatre productions; Library Lion and Mr Popper’s Penguins to name a few. Sip has recently played a stubborn and arrogant Zulu king in a musical called Hlakanyana where he also helped with dialogue and isiZulu wording.

In 2013 he studied Applied Drama Techniques with Wits where he obtained a certificate. Sip has also been featured on a local drama series Isibaya playing a Senior Officer and Ashes to ashes season 2 as Fezekile/Fez, a lawyer on season 2 of Unmarried S2, feature film “Ingane kababa”, Generations the legacy as Dr Sono and Diep City as Mr X.

Sip is working with William Kentridge on Waiting for the Sibyl, The Moment Has Gone and The Head and the Load as a vocalist. Sip’s music work has been featured and continue to be heard on SA local programs and international ones; a local movie called “Between friends”, an international music program called “The Sing-Off”, “Uzalo”, “The Queen”, Isibaya, Moja Love programs, eTV programs and other Mzansi Magic channels which a new drama series called “iHostela” played most of his music. Again in 2013, some of his music work through Slam production (Songs from KwaZulu - Sip featured as Nxele) which is one of his nicknames back home was digitally released on iTunes. Sip has been composing music and became a lyricist for some local upcoming DJs and gospel groups. When Sip was in London for a Dance Umbrella 2016 October, he got an opportunity to lay vocals of African harmonies with and for an international artist “Omar Puente Fiffe” from Cuba. In 2012 he translated Indian music to isiZulu and recorded traditional vocals with an Indian music Simaab Sen for a Bollywood film called “Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola” where Sip played a supporting character as a vocalist and a dancer. He has composed and co-produced music with Simon Sibanda of Slam production for jingles, title tracks for different TV programs, drama series and local films. Sip is now building his music library for various content under his publishing and label company called Amacusi Productions. He has recently recorded a voice character for a film called “Amashinga” where he led Zulu chants, helped with Zulu grammar, dialogue, and coach – This is a British Empire and The Zulu Kingdom film by the UK producer. Sip has worked with Blue Moon on an industrial theatre project for Jet store where he performed as an actor, singer, and a dancer as well as the recording of Jet radio drama. His recent music work is available in all digital platforms.