A Song of Hope and Sunshine
The Ndlovu Youth Choir
The Ndlovu Youth Choir caught the world’s attention after their heart-stopping performances on America’s Got Talent propelled them all the way to the show’s final round.
There are certain sounds that are intrinsically South African: the crashing rumble of a Highveld thundershower; the rhyming shout of a water seller on Clifton beach in Cape Town; and the irrepressible joy of a youth choir as embodied in the Ndlovu Youth Choir.
Just 12 short months ago, few South Africans had heard of the choir. That was before their cover of Ed Sheeran’s smash hit Shape of You and the video that went viral on Facebook, the brightness of the chorister’s outfits holding a mirror to the vibrancy that poured out with their voices.
Then came another video, circulated in July 2019, showing the usually impassive face of notoriously dour Simon Cowell visibly moved as he judged the choir’s performance on America’s Got Talent. Few South Africans were able to watch the clip without shedding a tear, particularly as they watched the youngsters who had just taken part on one of the world’s glitziest, most glamorous stages describe their childhoods in the poverty-stricken village of Moutse in Limpopo.
“I honestly thought that I was being pranked by Darren Simpson when I received the call from America’s Got Talent, asking us to send an audition tape,” choirmaster Ralff Schmitt recalls. He explains that it was that Shape of You video that earned them a spot on the show after it had been seen by talent scouts. That had been in March 2019 – and what followed was a “glorious tsunami”.
Schmitt explains that the choir got its start in 2009, initially as an after-school activity that was part of the broader Ndlovu Care Group. The group itself provides medicine, nutrition, infrastructure, childcare and other resources for the village, which has been badly affected by HIV and Aids. In fact, it was because of the orphans that the choir was transformed into a jobcreation project two years ago. “Many of the choristers battled to get jobs once they were ready to leave school, and tertiary studies usually weren’t an option. So, we looked at ways to generate income from their singing,” Schmitt says. That started with making the group more marketable, which is why Schmitt was invited to join the team. A former member of the Drakensberg Boys Choir, he had worked with many similar groups throughout South Africa.
But, although the young peoples’ talent was immediately apparent to him, the rest of the country was less enthusiastic. In fact, bookings were scant for the first six months of the choir’s existence. Then came that ground-breaking video, which sparked international interest.
How did the choristers experience the States? “Interestingly, no one was blown away by what they saw overseas – probably because they grew up with so little. That somehow made it easier to take things in our stride, including the performances. We genuinely thought that each would be our last, so we focused on being in the moment and enjoying it as much as we could.”
For Schmitt, singing in a choir isn’t simply about creating beautiful music. It’s also about teamwork, discipline and cohesion – and it’s “very powerful”. That’s what he reminded the youngsters of before they took to the stage in the United States. “None of us ever imagined
For Schmitt, singing in a choir isn’t simply about creating beautiful music. It’s also about teamwork, discipline and cohesion – and it’s ‘very powerful’.
that we would have an experience like this – myself included. Just before we went on, I advised them to watch everyone involved in the production, because that’s what true excellence looks like. I told them to pursue it, channel it and apply it wherever they could.”
When the team reached the semi-finals, he had more advice for them. “I asked them what they believed their worth was, and I reminded them that if they didn’t try that day, they’d never know for sure.”
As it turns out, that worth is rather exceptional. They may not have won the competition, but they walked away with a record deal from Simon Cowell’s record label, Syco Music, and a renewed status as icons in their community.
Admittedly, this has come with its own challenges. In a poor community, it’s only natural that people look to their role models for assistance, and the choristers are trying to come to terms with this at the same time as dealing with a suddenly frenetic schedule that involves commitments around the globe. In fact, Schmitt reveals that far from enjoying a lengthy recording session, the choir snatched moments between performances to create their album. Not that the end result was anything less than spectacular, as evidenced by the phenomenal success during its first week of release. “We debuted at number one on iTunes,” Schmitt enthuses. This is a feat made all the more noteworthy given that Coldplay’s latest album dropped at the same time.
What’s next for the choir? “Your guess is as good as mine!” Schmitt says. A primary focus right now is looking after the choristers’ skills and educational needs. “You can’t stay in a youth choir indefinitely. At some point you have to age out,” he points out. And so, the choir is providing skills development programmes for older choir members, while tutoring younger choristers to ensure they don’t fall behind in their schoolwork during their travels.
The group is also sifting through their many offers and invitations to find those that fit. Now that they know many more opportunities are coming their way, they’re being canny about which they accept. With the choir members ranging in age between 13 and 27, it’s their best interests, rather than commercial imperatives, that guide Schmitt’s choices as choirmaster.
While Schmitt works to balance the challenges of sudden fame and popularity, he’s also developing new material constantly. “We have to keep reinventing ourselves while staying true to our core,” he points out. “We’re just taking each moment as it comes.”