South African composer, vocalist, and traditional instrumentalist Lu Dlamini invites the world to experience Gido, a personal and deeply moving new album that transcends music to become a living archive of love, resilience, and the enduring philosophy of Ubuntu.
Set for official online release on 27 June 2025 and a live launch that same date at The Playhouse Company in Durban, Gido is more than an album. It is a tribute to Lu’s late mother, Kitomena “Gido” uMakhuzwayo. Her mother’s life lessons are the spiritual backbone of this project. Blending rich South African jazz influences with the evocative sounds of indigenous instruments like the Umakhweyana, Gido offers a journey that is as timeless as it is contemporary.
“This album is an ode to my mother and a call for unity. It carries the weight of history and the hope for a better, kinder future,” shares Lu Dlamini.
The name Gido carries rich historical resonance, derived from her mother’s name Kitomena, and reflects a legacy of cultural harmony rooted in the vibrant community of Kitomena (Cato Manor), before it was torn apart by the apartheid regime. Like Sophiatown and District Six, it stood as a symbol of unity, which is a spirit this album seeks to rekindle.
“This is not music for the sake of music. It’s a call to listen with our hearts, to remember that we are bound together by our shared humanity,” says Lu Dlamini.
Featuring collaborations with some of South Africa’s finest musical talents, such as Dr. Madala Kunene, Steve Newman, Andile Yenana, Marius Botha, Riley Giandhari, Zibusiso Makhathini, Qadasi, and Ntobeko Shandu, Gido masterfully fuses ancient and modern sounds.
The album journeys through untold stories and histories, from songs that honour the resilience of South Africa’s “lost generation,” to spiritual invocations calling for peace, unity, and the healing of old wounds. Tracks like Lwaphela uvalo and Gandhi Shembe Dube remind us that history is not a burden, but a bridge, connecting us to a future shaped by compassion and understanding.
The live launch of Gido on 27 June 2025 at The Playhouse Company will start with the special screening of The Golden Nile Meridian documentary; an audiovisual journey that explores the ancient energy line stretching from Durban’s Bluff to the Pyramids of Giza. This screening serves as a vivid, cinematic extension of the Gido album. In the documentary, Lu Dlamini weaves umakhweyana compositions into the texture of the soundscape ringing ancestral memory, cultural reclamation and African consciousness.
Lu Dlamini will be joined on stage by Zibusiso Makhathini (piano), Riley Giandhari (drums), Ntobeko Shandu (bass), and Marius Botha (guitar), with special appearances by acclaimed pianist Andile Yenana, Qadasi on umrhubhe, the legendary Madala Kunene, and narrated moments by Thulile Zama.
Audiences can expect an immersive evening that connects sound, image and history. Special thanks go to SAMRO for their support in bringing this vision to life.
Note for the editor:
Album Title: Gido
Artist: Lu Dlamini
Online Release Date: 27 June 2025 (All online music stores)
Official Album Launch:
27 June 2025 | 7pm
The Playhouse Company, Durban, South Africa
Tickets:https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.aspx?itemid=1570705769