Queen’s classic ‘Boheemian Rhapsody’ finds a new voice in Zulu

Johannesburg, South Africa – The NDLOVU -Youth ChoirIt started in the province of Limpopo in South Africa and rose to international fame America has talent In 2019, a Bold New Project: A Zulu language version from Queen’s Boheemian Rhapsody.

It is the first time that Queen has ever authorized a translation of the iconic Rock people. The artistic director of the choir, Ralf Schmitt, says that the surviving members of the band and the Mercury Phoenix Trust have given their blessing.

“We realized that we would be the first translation to be released commercially,” said Schmitt. “So we are very honored that we have received permission, and we hope we have done the piece.”

The release comes during the 50th birthday of Bohemse Rhapsody. Schmitt says that the idea to make an African version arose while the group worked in Tanzania. “Of course Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar,” he said.

Posed Group Portrait – Roger Taylor, Freddie Mercury, Brian May and John Deason

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The Mercury family later moved to Great Britain and he never returned to the African island of his birth.

For choir member Sandile Majola, who carefully translated the song into Zulu, the project wore a deep meaning. “We approached the translation with the greatest care and kept it as faithful as possible to the original,” he said. “Bringing this song to life in my own language gave it a whole new meaning for me.”

For some members the music was a complete discovery. Chief singer Lungelo Masango remembers: “I had never heard of the song or the band.” The real challenge, she added, was adjusting the texts in Zulu: “Zulu words are very long … You have to find the right words because the message still has to be the same.”

Ndlovu Youth Choir/Ndlovu Youth Choir

The translation process lasted for years, and some surreal texts – such as the famous “Galileo, Galileo!” – Stay in English. The new version weaves in African musical traditions, from Township styles such as Islicathamiya to the Congolese swing of Kwassa Kwassa. The extensive call-and-response sections, notes Schmitt, are rooted in African performance styles.

The video clip, now on YouTube, contains the choir in lively traditional clothing and celebrates a unique African view of one of the most iconic songs in Rock.