Vula Malinga facts for kids
Vula Malinga (born May 15, 1980) is a talented singer from the United States who grew up in Britain. She is known for her powerful voice and has worked with many famous musicians.
Quick facts for kids
Vula Malinga
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Malinga performing with Basement Jaxx at the Orange Warsaw Festival in 2013
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| Background information | |
| Born | May 15, 1980 United States |
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| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Labels | DivaGeek Records |
| Associated acts | Basement Jaxx |
Contents
Early Life and Music Journey
Vula Malinga was born in the United States. Her parents were from South Africa. She grew up in Hackney, London, a city in England.
Her parents were very supportive of her singing. They encouraged her to join the church choir. This helped her become one of the main singers for the London Community Gospel Choir.
Working with Famous Artists
Being part of the gospel choir helped Vula get noticed. The popular music group Basement Jaxx heard her sing. She became a lead singer for their song "Oh My Gosh" in 2005. She still works with Basement Jaxx today.
In 2007, Vula sang the main vocals for a special version of the song "Amazing Grace". This was for BBC South to mark 200 years since the end of the slave trade.
In 2008, Vula started her own music company called DivaGeek Records. She released her first song, "Wondering Why," that same year.
She also sang with the famous rapper Dizzee Rascal on his 2009 album Tongue n' Cheek. She performed live with him on shows like Live Lounge and Later... with Jools Holland.
In 2019, Vula worked with DJ Riton and producer Oliver Heldens. They released the popular song "Turn Me On". This song used parts from older songs like "Doctor Love" and "Don't Go".
Live Performances
Vula Malinga has performed at many important events. In 2019, she sang live at Trevor Nelson's Soul Christmas. This event took place at the famous Royal Albert Hall.
She has also been a featured singer at the BBC Proms. In 2023, she sang for a night celebrating Northern Soul music. In 2024, she was one of the singers for a BBC Proms night dedicated to Disco music.
Songs Vula Has Sung On
Vula Malinga has lent her voice to many songs, both as a lead singer and providing background vocals. Here are some of them:
- MJ Cole – "Wondering Why" (2003)
- Basement Jaxx – "Oh My Gosh" (2006)
- Basement Jaxx – "Hush Boy" (2006)
- Vula Malinga – "If You Want It" (2008)
- Background vocals on the Sam Smith song "Pray"
- Riton and Oliver Heldens featuring Vula – "Turn Me On" (2019)
- Pete Tong featuring Jules Buckley, Vula & The Heritage Orchestra) – "Love Can't Turn Around" (2021)
