Karabo Ntanzi
Perseverance paid off for Dorothy Mazingane, whose stage name is Dorothy M. In December 2023, she was crowned the 2023 Best Influential Gospel Musician at the UKHONUKAMVA National Gospel Music Awards in Cape Town. “It was by God’s grace that I won one of the special awards amongst artists from Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Ghana. I felt blessed and exuberant when I was called,” reminisced Dorothy.
The Ritchie-born Gospel singer said that although she went alone to the awards ceremony, she felt sublime because of the crowd’s love, support and warm response. “That night I slept in a beautiful hotel and realised that I am an artist representing the Northern Cape”.
Dorothy acknowledges her community members, who rallied behind her during her voting campaign. “I received airtime sponsors from businesses and Taxi owners in Ritchie. Although I did not get much support from the Northern Cape, most votes came from North West, Cape Town and Johannesburg. Someone mentioned that I’m not only a daughter of the Northern Cape, but I’m the daughter of the country as a whole”, she said with pride.
She said after 30 years in the music industry and four albums behind her name, the wheels are turning and she is starting to reap the fruits of her hard work. “Growing up, I used to write letters every night to the heavenly father asking for success”, she believes God is now answering her letters.
Her mother’s friend discovered her talent at a young age. She grew up in a born-again family and was a lead singer at 14 years for Maranatha Pentecostal Church, where she traveled extensively.
Her all-time role model is Rebecca Malope. “At some stage of my life I was known as Rebecca Malope because I listened to her songs and translated them into Afrikaans. I was fixated with her, danced and dressed like her, including the hair cut”, remarked Dorothy, the mother of a boy and a girl.
“When I was 18, I went to Johannesburg to look for Rebecca Malope. I did not know Johannesburg; all I knew was that the studio was in Carlton Centre. I was lucky to find a gentleman who facilitated a meeting with Rebecca and I got the opportunity to be a backup vocalist for Rebecca”, she said.
In 2006, Dorothy returned home and enrolled in an online Bible Study Course. After that, she was ordained a Pastor, specialising in women’s ministry and young people. “I believe God wants me to heal souls and make people feel better through music,” she stated.
She regularly hosts and speaks at conferences, going to Zimbabwe annually since 2019 to motivate women. She was invited to Europe for a month, addressing women in different radio stations.
Dorothy founded Bringing a Boy Child, a non-profit organisation that uplifts and encourages young men. She is currently assisting a drug recovery addict to record his album.
Dorothy is writing a song for an Ethiopian artist and planning on shooting her music video. Although her career and talent often take her away from her family, she enjoys watching movies with them during her cooling-off period.
She hosts “The Afrernoon Devotion” on Revival FM, a Christian Radio station in Kimberley.
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