Dark City Sisters

The Dark City Sisters were a South African female vocal group, who formed in 1958 and recorded several hit records in the 1960s, helping usher in a new style of South African music later brought to global prominence by the Mahotella Queens.

The Sisters were formed by talent scout and producer Rupert Bopape at EMI South Africa. The group was named after Alexandra Township, known at the time as 'Dark City' due to its lack of street lighting^[1]. The four founding members were Joyce Mogatusi, Francisca Mngomezulu, Hilda Mogapi and Esther Khoza. Their close harmonies were often combined with a single male vocalist, at a time when most bands consisted of a female lead backed up by a group of men. Among the vocalists they recorded with were Simon 'Mahlathini' Nkabinde.

The new style of the Dark City Sisters proved very popular and they enjoyed several hits during the 1960s, also touring South Africa and neighbouring countries^[2]. Membership changed frequently and crossed over with other groups at points, with Francisca Mngomezulu and Caroline Kapentar also singing for the Mahotella Queens. The one key and consistent link throughout the many membership changes is Joyce Mogatusi, who was a part of the very early line-up and has remained a constant throughout the Sisters' career. The second-longest serving member is Grace Moeketsi, who joined the Sisters in 1960.

The group dissolved in 1971 for a short time before reforming in the middle 1970s, primarily as a live performing group although contracted at various points to Gallo-Mavuthela, EMI and CCP. The 1980s was a decade in which very few recordings of new material were made, with most of their time taken up by concert performances^[3]. By the 1990s and early 2000s - with the explosion of international interest in South African music - the Sisters, still led by Mogatusi, were fully immersed in concert appearances in the country and continued to make one-off recordings^[4].

References

1. ^ http://www.openafrica.org/route/alexandra-township-of-rhythm-route
2. ^ Mojapelo, Max: Beyond Memory: Recording the History, Moments and Memories of South African Music, 2009
3. ^ Majavu, M: "The return of the Dark City Sisters". Johannesburg News Agency, August 8 2002
4. ^ Majavu, M: "The return of the Dark City Sisters". Johannesburg News Agency, August 8 2002