Those were just some of the words people who attended the Jefferson Center on Nov. 11 to witness the world-renowned Ndlovu African Choir used to describe their experience.
It all began with a near-capacity crowd nearly filling the 900-seat Shaftman Performance Hall. The show featured powerful renditions, original cuts, breathtaking choreography and much more. Since its inception, the group has mixed traditional South African genres with EDM, jazz, rock and pop.
Being present for a Ndlovu Youth Choir production was a dream come true for Phillip Jacobs. “I later confessed this on the ride home, but my tickets purchased for my daughters were more of a gift to myself,” he jokingly said before adding, “Once they saw me dancing and having fun, they joined me. When we looked around, we saw many others doing the same.”
The choir under the guidance of founder and musical director Ralf Schmitt, are taught important life values such as work ethic, togetherness, leadership and a sense of social responsibility.
Whenever they perform, it’s about so much more than just what meets the eye. During the Jefferson Center performance, the joy of dreams, life and possibilities happened all at once.
Founded in 2009, the Ndlovu Youth Choir has the distinction of being the first choir to reach the finals of America’s Got Talent. So impressed was legendary record executive and music producer Simon Cowell that he said, “I have been doing this for a long time. They had the best final that I’ve ever sat on.”
A recording contract with Sony Music and SYCO quickly followed. All three of the choir’s albums – Africa (2019), Rise (2020) and Grateful (2022) – have received critical acclaim.
The popular single “Higher Love” off their latest LP has already garnered more than two million streams on Spotify. Trevor Noah, Pink and Kygo are just some of the many artists who have collaborated with the musical group.
During the height of the pandemic, the choir joined numerous other top musical performers for a Global Citizens’ “One World: Together at Home” virtual concert.
Experiencing Ndlovu live last Saturday was a bucket list accomplishment for Terry Dillingham and his wife. “Others may feel differently, but we both felt that the Jefferson Center performance made us feel like we were in Wakanda,” he said. “Emotions ran high, as we noticed many wiping their eyes at times, including ourselves.”
Schmitt engaged in playful dialogue with the audience throughout the show. With everything going on in the world today, more levity is greatly needed.
Katori Williams says seeing the Ndlovu Youth Choir in person was everything he thought it would be. “When my friends and family asked me about it afterward, I simply told them they just had to be there. I have never experienced anything so beautiful in my life. I didn’t think it was possible, but they made me an even bigger fan,” he explained.
