Music fans take their places inside Kean University’s Wilkins Theater in Union, NJ this Sunday, October 5, 2025 evening for a concert of world music by the South African vocal group, Soweto Gospel Choir.
Soweto Gospel Choir was formed in 2002 and is known around the globe for their harmonious performances of hymns and African gospel anthems along with reggae, pop, and folk songs.
The ensemble’s 2005 debut album, Voices from Heaven, topped the Billboard World Music chart. Their next two albums, 2006’s Blessed and 2007’s African Spirit, each won Grammy Awards for Best Traditional World Music Album. The group’s versatility has allowed them to perform with a range of artists including Diana Ross, Robert Plant, Peter Gabriel, U2, and Chance the Rapper.
The choir’s 2018 album, Freedom, earned the choir yet another Grammy, and their latest effort — 2022’s Hope — is a recording that combines inspirational songs from America’s Civil Rights movement along with South African anti-apartheid anthems.
Inside Kean University’s contemporary Wilkins Theater, Kean Stage manager Steve Cochran welcomes tonight’s crowd declaring, “You’re in for a real treat! Let’s welcome Soweto Gospel Choir!”
The stage darkens and a horn blows signaling the beginning of the show which starts with “Melodies” performed by a lone female vocalist who sings in African accompanied by rhythmic drumming.
Choir members enter and fill the auditorium with vocal calls and trills evoking images of animals, the cacophony of sound contrasting with the lovely melodic vocal line of the soloist who sings with power and emotion in front of the choir.
The piece continues to build in intensity in terms of melody, harmony, and dynamics before segueing into a second segment which features powerful rousing solo vocal lines complimented by full harmonies and synchronized hand motions from the members of the choir.
The crowd cheers and choirmaster Vincent “Shimmy” Jiyane announces, “We are Soweto Gospel Choir,” prior to explaining, “The name, Soweto, is short for Southwestern Township, which is located on the outskirts of Johannesburg.”
After acknowledging that “each of the members of the choir has a parent, grandparent, or even themselves who have suffered an injustice or oppression of opportunity,” Jiyane reveals, “Tonight, we will be singing songs that have been sung throughout this trauma in six of our twelve official languages,” prior to noting, “We will also be singing some well-known classics in English but with a twist.”
Here, the choir launches into a series of African songs including “Lishonile Ilanga,” “Mbay, Mbay,” “Bawo Xa Ndlahlekayo,” and “Nkonyane Kandaba,”which feature choir members sharing their souls through their voices accompanied by rhythmic drumming, shaking and stepping, and animated dancing which brings cheers from the crowd.
Continuing with a “Freedom Medley” of songs in tribute to South Africa’s Nelson Mandela, arms reach out as the choir sings in English, “Show us the way to freedom/Freedom is in your hands,” before members slowly raise up one arm in a sign of unity and power to cheers, whistles, and applause.
The ensemble follows up with a joyful and vibrant African tune which features a kaleidoscope of sound and dancing with calling drums and vocals.
A highlight of the evening’s performance is the group’s rendition of “Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior,” a 19th-century American hymn that has the audience rejoicing to the song’s “Hear my humble cry” message and standing and clapping to a reprise of the number which ends in spirited cheers and applause.
A female choir member impresses as she sings, “It’s been a long — a long time coming,” on a slow and powerful rendition of Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come.”
Then, the choir takes the congregation to church with a rhythmic version of The Staples Singers’ “I’ll Take You There” where the chorus responds to soloists on the infectious “Help me, now (I’ll take you there)” refrain and singers dance — at times, jumping and running in the air — giving the performance a distinct African flavor.
Arpeggiated keyboard accompaniment and simple drumbeats accompany a female vocalist who sings sweetly and with feeling, “When you walk through a storm keep your head up high,” on “You’ll Never Walk Alone” before choir members add their voices to the song’s powerful “Walk on, walk on” refrain, eliciting whistles and cheers from the audience.
After Jiyane announces that they have come to the end of the show, concertgoers shout “No!” and he responds, “You’ve been a great audience; we definitely will do one more.”
Jiyane thanks the crowd, stating, “Thank you so much for the love, the support, and, most importantly, the praise. We love you,” before the choir concludes tonight’s show with a beautiful English and African rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” which has music listeners softly chanting the lovely “Hallelujah, Hallelujah” refrain before rewarding the performers with a rousing standing ovation.
As concertgoers exit the auditorium, several comment on Soweto Gospel Choir’s performance tonight. Exclaims Ruby from New Mexico, “It was an incredible show — phenomenal — I was blown away!” Liam from New York City agrees, adding, “I thought it was fantastic! It was absolutely beautiful and so moving. I was impressed.”
Whereas Geri from Plainfield contends, “It was excellent — I loved the selections,” Karen from Piscataway reveals, “I’m a Kean alum and this was a fabulous show. It was very beautiful and very inspirational.”
Richlyn from West Orange maintains, “The music was powerful, the voices were dynamic, and even though I didn’t understand the African lyrics, I felt the energy and the emotions behind the songs.” Nicole from Trenton concurs, adding, “It was beautiful. I cried. I loved that they mixed their languages with English and that their voices were so powerful.”
Virginia from Jersey City, declares, “I loved the Soweto Gospel Choir! I really enjoyed their music — God was in it and God is good all the time!”
Suzette from Sparta agrees, noting, “It was all very, very powerful. It was uplifting. It was anointing, healing. Although I didn’t know what some of the words were, I felt them, and I felt as if I was praying in unison with what they were singing. It was very deep and profound.”
Mimi from Jersey City asserts, “It was amazing — phenomenal — but when they announced it was the last song, I said, ‘Please, no!’ because even though I have to go to work in the morning, I wanted to stay for more!” Kenneth from Jersey City concurs, adding, “I loved it! It was so good, I wanted more and more. These folks can sing!”
Lastly, Dextro from Newburgh, NY, recalls, “It reminded me of some of the wonderful worship experiences I had in Ghana. There’s a spiritual connection they had with the audience,” before concluding, “They brought it home!”
To learn more about Soweto Gospel Choir, please go to sowetogospelchoir.com. For information on great upcoming Kean Stage performances — including The Soul of Burt Bacharach on November 8, Broadway’s Joshua Henry on February 22, 2026, and fashion designer/actor/singer Isaac Mizrahi on March 29, 2026 — please click on keanstage.com.
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