Jerusalema: A catalyst for a better life in South Africa

Jerusalema has been downloaded from YouTube or listened to 120 million times.  The mega soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, with more than 230 million social media followers, recently shared the song and dance on his website during a family gathering. More than 44 million of his followers subsequently listened to or downloaded the song on their phones.

International fame

The gospel-inspired song was released in November 2019. After a positive reception on online platforms, a music video followed on 21 December. Thanks to a remix by the Nigerian-born Burna Boy in June, the song made the leap to the USA hit parade.

The Jerusalema dance is in the popular dance style of the Zezuru Shona people of Zimbabwe. Angolan youths were the first to dance Jerusalema in July 2020. The rest is history.

Jerusalema virtually became famous overnight thanks to the #JerusalemaChallenge: individuals, groups, workers, schools and even politicians challenged one another to record themselves doing the Jerusalema and distribute it on social networks. Even our jovial finance minister Tito Mboweni got into the spirit of things with his two sons and put his efforts on social media. 

The song spent two weeks at the top of the United Kingdom hit parade and has made the charts in France, Switzerland, Romania, Portugal and Italy. It has already been on the American hit parade for nine weeks and is now in sixth position.

Fame can be rare in one’s own country

So who are the artists behind the most successful song ever to come out of South Africa? Jerusalema was written by South African deejay Master KG (Kgaogelo Moagi of Limpopo). The voice is that of Nomcebo Zikode, originally from Hammarsdale in Kwazulu-Natal, where she won an Ukhozi FM talent competition in 2003 when she was nine years old.  The 26-year-old singer now lives and works in Johannesburg.

A prophet, however, is seldom honoured in his own land: it is sad that the song, which is a showcase worldwide for the positive side of our country, was ignored by the South African Music Awards (SAMAs). And you ask yourself, how is it possible that two young artists who have captured the imagination of the world, and who have been appointed as music ambassadors by the minister of arts and culture, are not fully acknowledged in their home country?

City of peace

Jerusalem is the holy city of the Jews, Christians and Muslims: the capital of the ancient kingdom of Judah and the modern state of Israel. The name literally means “city of peace” – it’s often called Zion, with reference to Mount Zion on which the city was built. The city is honoured in various songs, including in the hymn Jerusalem, the unofficial English anthem written by CH Parry and William Blake.

Here, where I sit on my stoep, the song echoes over the neighbourhood: someone is playing it at top volume. The pulsating rhythm takes over your feet. But it is the lyrics which fascinate me.