Tsakani Mhinga

Tsakani "TK" Mhinga (23 November 1978 – 27 February 2006) was a multiple SAMA award winning South African R&B singer, arranger and songwriter. In her lifetime she unquestionably occupied South Africa's R&B throne and was one of the country's prominent vocalists.

She was found dead in a hotel room in Bryanston, Johannesburg by hotel staff on 27 February 2006, of what seemed to be either a drug overdose or a drug-induced suicide.

Born in Soweto, Johannesburg, Tsakani was the eldest child of Tebogo Mhinga and Chief Shilungwa of the VaTsonga tribe, making her tribal royalty. At age 12 she first sang in public, singing Over the Rainbow, at a talent competition.

Though her first name "Tsakani" means "to be happy", the singer's life was often less so. Mhinga's relationships with men seemed to have been disappointing, starting with her father, whom she described as being "more like a visitor to our home" with her mother raising her and her three siblings mostly alone.

Her first taste of the music industry came from her electric, chemistry driven collaboration A Place For A Wife with rapper Mizchif on his debut album.

Since her father was opposed to her being a singer, she launched her solo musical career without telling her family as soon as she got her matric. She released Mind Yo' Business from her debut album, TKO and received critical acclaim for her vocals and international approach when it came to her music , but she was often ridiculed and criticised for not doing the vernacular , which was Kwaito or Afro-pop. The singer had her fair share of legal battles which occurred when TK was offered a seven album recording deal in the UK, only to have it revoked after threats from the local company that had produced her debut album. "I wanted to quit so many times. I never thought I'd bounce back , said TK about the incident.

This was followed in 2001 by a second album, Tsakani, that included the club hit Eject yo' ass, and the R&B radio hit I Find It So Strange . The 23 year old singer won her second consecutive best R&B album at the SAMA awards and nominated for best female vocalist of the year.

In 2002, TK performed with international act Foxy Brown at the Gauteng R&B Hip Hop Festival and opened for Keith Sweat and Deborah Cox on their South African concerts. TK was also a participant in Celebrity Big Brother (South Africa) during this year. She was also offered the part for the pantomime ; Sleeping Beauty but was pregnant at the time so she couldn't do it.

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