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B
orn in Pietermaritzburg, David Jenkins grew up in Empangeni and became fascinated by Zulu culture and history at a young age while travelling through Zululand with his late father Chris Jenkins – a highly respected journalist. “We had a great relationship and shared many interests. Some of my fondest memories of our time together include sailing yachts in Richards Bay, as well as our many trips through the beautiful province of KZN,” says David. Over the years his interest developed
I taught myself how to play the Zulu guitar and concertina, and my passion and skills grew from strength to strength significantly, and through this David found a love for traditonal Maskandi music. “Thanks to the support I received from my parents, my sister Amy and our beloved housekeeper, the late Thembani ‘Tee’ Dlamini, I was encouraged to follow my dream.” “I taught myself how to play the Zulu guitar and concertina, and my passion and skills grew from strength to strength,” says David, whose first gigs took place at Felixton College during his high school career. “Understandably, these were nerve-wracking initial performances – especially due to my shy nature. But they were also incredibly important as they paved the way for my passion for performing live.”
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ZULU KATRINE ANKER-NILSSEN MEETS THE TALENTED QADASI AND HIS FUSION OF TRADITIONAL ZULU AND WESTERN FOLK MUSIC
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After matriculating, David decided to pursue his dream of becoming a professional musician. This was made possible in 2010, after meeting Maqhinga Radebe when enquiring about a concertina tuner. “Soon thereafter I was offered my first record deal by Sibongiseni Shabalala – a member of five-time Grammy Award winning group Ladysmith Black Mambazo,” he says. David released his debut album in 2011, and has since been working incessantly at making a name for himself in a competitive industry. His second album, released in 2014, was nominated for a SAMA (South African Music Award) and SATMA (South