Growing up in Polokwane (formerly Pietersburg) in Sou… Read Full Bio ↴Judith Sephuma
Growing up in Polokwane (formerly Pietersburg) in South Africa's Limpopo Province, Judith knew that she wanted to be a singer from an early age. After matriculating at Khagiso High School, she attended Johannesburg's legendary FUBA Academy music school in 1993, where she received her Grade 5 Music Diploma. One of her fellow students was an ambitious young guitarist who she knew from Polokwane, one Selaelo Selota, a man who would play a major role in her career. Other achievements included reaching the finals of the Shell Road to Fame contest in 1994, and the finals in SABC's Jam Alley Search For Talent that year. In 1994 she made a significant move to Cape Town to study music at the University of Cape Town, graduating in 1997 with a Performer's Diploma in Jazz. Judith then gained her Honours Degree in Jazz Performance, majoring in Jazz Singing, under the supervision of Prof. Mike Campbell, in 1999. While studying Jazz singing, she was also classically trained by Virginia Davids for five years.
During her years in the Cape, Judith's reputation as a vocalist blossomed, and she had the opportunity to work in bands like (fellow UCT music student) Selaelo Selota's Taola, Meropa, UCT's Big Band, The C-Base Collective and The Cape Symphonic Orchestra. She also performed with Jimmy Dludlu, Loading Zone and Ian Smith's Virtual Jazz Reality, as well as alongside musicians such as Jack van Poll and Gerry Spencer, and sang at many a cocktail party and private functions. In 1996 JUDITH SEPHUMA was invited by Spencer to travel on the Symphony cruise ship for two months, visiting exotic places like Bazaruto, Mauritious, Zanzibar, Mombasa, and Reunion. Later the same year she performed, with the band Meropa, in Nantes, France at the Fin de Siecle Festival - her first overseas visit 1998/1999 with the assistance of pianist van Poll, Judith gained much experience performing in Europe, and among her gigs was being invited by the South African government to perform in Holland for the Mandela's Children Trust Fund.
Judith was invited by Jimmy Dludlu to perform at Thabo Mbeki's presidential inauguration in Pretoria, June 1999. In that year she also had the honour of meeting former president Nelson Mandela and sang a special song to him and his wife, Graca Machel, at the Cape Sun hotel. Another highlight of that year was singing at the Miss SA beauty pageant in Sun City. The young singer was certainly paying her music industry dues, developing skills like confidence, versatility, patience and professionalism, and all the while laying the secure foundations for her future success.
Having previously entered a number of music competitions, a pivotal moment came when Judith was awarded first prize for Best Jazz Vocalist at the Old Mutual Jazz Into The Future competition in June 1999 and she was signed to (then) BMG Africa’s imprint, Giant Steps, shortly afterwards. At the North Sea Jazz Festival in Cape Town in 2000, Judith formed her own backing band and performed under her own name and in 2001 she recorded her debut, A Smile, A Cry, A Dance.
www.music.org.za
Le Tshephile Mang
Judith Sephuma Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Le tshephile mang
Le tshephile mang
Le tshephile mang
Bageso (Le tshephile mang)
Le fela le rumulana (Le tshephile mang)
Bageso le tshephile mang
A re thabeleng batho
Letlhoyo le fele
Re ageng setshaba
Iyelele Maa
A re thabeleng batho
Letlhoyo le fele
Re ageng setshaba
Iyelele Maa
Bageso le tshephile mang
Le fela le rumulana (Le tshephile mang)
Bageso le tshephile mang
Letlhoyo le tlhorisano a di age motse
A re thabelang batho
Letlhoyo le fele
Re ageng setshaba
Iyelele Maa
A re thabeleng batho
Letlhoyo le fele
Re ageng setshaba
Iyelele Maa
A re thabeleng batho
Letlhoyo le fele
Re ageng setshaba
Iyelele Maa
A re thabeleng batho
Letlhoyo le fele
Re ageng setshaba
Iyelele Maa
Bageso le tshephile mang
Le fela le rumulana (Le tshephile mang)
Bageso le tshephile mang
Letlhoyo le tlhorisano a di age motse
Le tshepile le tshepile mang
Bageso le tshephile mang
Le tshepile
A re thabeleng batho
Letlhoyo le fele
A re thabelang batho
Letlhoyo le fele
Re ageng setshaba
Iyelele Maa!
A re thabelang batho
Letlhoyo le fele
Re ageng setshaba
Iyelele Maa!
The song "Le Tshephile Mang" by Judith Sephuma is a soulful track with repetitive lyrics that are meant to be a call and response between the singer and the audience. The phrase "Le tshephile mang" translates to "Who hurt you?" in English, and it is repeated several times throughout the song to emphasize the pain and suffering that is being addressed. The song is sung in Sesotho, a language spoken in South Africa, and it draws from traditional African musical rhythms and melodies.
The chorus of the song features the repeated call "Bageso le tshephile mang" which translates to "Who hurt you, my child?" The verses deal with the themes of community and togetherness, as the singer encourages people to come together and support each other in difficult times. The repeated phrase "A re thabeleng batho letlhoyo le fele" translates to "Let's embrace each other with love." The lyrics also touch on the idea of healing and forgiveness, as the singer offers comfort and solidarity to those who have been hurt.
Overall, "Le Tshephile Mang" is a powerful song that speaks to the deep emotions and struggles that many people face in their lives. It is a call to come together as a community, to support each other and offer love and forgiveness in the face of pain and hardship.
Line by Line Meaning
Le tshephile mang
Who did you disappoint?
Bageso (Le tshephile mang)
Friends (Who did you disappoint?)
Le fela le rumulana (Le tshephile mang)
Alone and bewildered (Who did you disappoint?)
Letlhoyo le tlhorisano (A di age motse)
The community is in unity (Let's build the town)
A re thabeleng batho
We welcome people
Letlhoyo le fele
The community is one
Re ageng setshaba
We unite the nation
Iyelele Maa
We sing Maa
Le tshepile le tshepile mang
Who did you really disappoint?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: SELAELO SELOTA, JUDITH SEPHUMA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kalelc1996
Who do you trust?
Le tshephile mang
Who do you trust?
Le tshephile mang
Who do you trust?
Le tshephile mang
Who do you trust?
Le tshephile mang
Compatriots (Who do you trust)
Bageso (Le tshephile mang)
It always irritates (Who do you trust)
Le fela le rumulana (Le tshephile mang)
Compatriots, who do you trust?
Bageso le tshephile mang
Hate and competition (Let them build a city)
Letlhoyo le tlhorisano (A di age motse)
Let's enjoy the people
A re thabeleng batho
Hatred is gone
Letlhoyo le fele
Let's build a nation
Re ageng setshaba
Iyelele Maa
Iyelele Maa
Let's enjoy the people
A re thabeleng batho
Hatred is gone
Letlhoyo le fele
Let's build a nation
Re ageng setshaba
Iyelele Maa
Iyelele Maa
Compatriots, who do you trust?
Bageso le tshephile mang
It always irritates (Who do you trust)
Le fela le rumulana (Le tshephile mang)
Compatriots, who do you trust?
Bageso le tshephile mang
Let hatred and oppression build a city
Letlhoyo le tlhorisano a di age motse
Let's enjoy the people
A re thabelang batho
Hatred is gone
Letlhoyo le fele
Let's build a nation
Re ageng setshaba
Iyelele Maa
Iyelele Maa
Let's enjoy the people
A re thabeleng batho
Hatred is gone
Letlhoyo le fele
Let's build a nation
Re ageng setshaba
Iyelele Maa
Iyelele Maa
Let's enjoy the people
A re thabeleng batho
Hatred is gone
Letlhoyo le fele
Let's build a nation
Re ageng setshaba
Iyelele Maa
Iyelele Maa
Let's enjoy the people
A re thabeleng batho
Hatred is gone
Letlhoyo le fele
Let's build a nation
Re ageng setshaba
Iyelele Maa
Iyelele Maa
Compatriots, who do you trust?
Bageso le tshephile mang
It always irritates (Who do you trust)
Le fela le rumulana (Le tshephile mang)
Compatriots, who do you trust?
Bageso le tshephile mang
Let hatred and oppression build a city
Letlhoyo le tlhorisano a di age motse
Who do you trust and who do you trust?
Le tshepile le tshepile mang
Compatriots, who do you trust?
Bageso le tshephile mang
You hope so
Le tshepile
Let's enjoy the people
A re thabeleng batho
Hatred is gone
Letlhoyo le fele
Let's enjoy the people
A re thabelang batho
Hatred is gone
Letlhoyo le fele
Let's build a nation
Re ageng setshaba
Wake up Maa!
Iyelele Maa!
Let's enjoy the people
A re thabelang batho
Hatred is gone
Letlhoyo le fele
Let's build a nation
Re ageng setshaba
Wake up Maa!
Iyelele Maa!
@manudibash
I am glad this album is back
@tetekagogo
I remember when I was young, my Dad used to play this song on his car everyday when he was going to his workplace 😭🙌🏽💯🔥💚
@magetlaleshaba1620
I relate...😊 but i lost him 7 years ago.
@kanzo_king5192
This continues to remain a classic. I'm grateful to have grown up under such a masterpiece of an album
@neoyamenthite3245
Even in 2023 it really slaps really hard ❤️
@tebogoglen
Beautiful Music
@mpakumathebe7342
LE TSHEPHILE MANG??❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊
@nareboshomane367
bagesho le tshephile mang, compatriots whom do you trust, lefela le rebolela le tshephile, always gossiping behind our backs, lehloyo le hlorishano di age motse, abuse and hatred hasn't built any nation are thabeng le batho lehloyo le fele, let's all be happy with one another and end hatred, re ageng sechaba lehloyo le fele re ageng sechaba ayo helele ma
@hildathelele-um5ws
Le fela le rumulana le tshepile mang
@hildathelele-um5ws
So true le tshepile mang