Lebo Mathosa Biography: Age, Boom Shaka, Songs, Awards and Death
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On 23 October 2026, 20 years after her death, South Africans were again searching for her name and SABC News published a tribute to her. This page covers the facts of her life: where she grew up, her time in Boom Shaka, her albums and awards, her best-known songs and how she is remembered.
Lebo Mathosa Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Lebohang Mathosa |
| Date of birth | 17 July 1977 |
| Place of birth | Daveyton, East Rand (now Ekurhuleni, Gauteng) |
| Date of death | 23 October 2006 |
| Age at death | 29 |
| Known for | Lead singer of Boom Shaka, solo dance and kwaito star |
| Music style | Kwaito, dance, pop |
| Solo albums | Dream (2000), Drama Queen (2004), Lioness (2006) |
| Main awards | South African Music Awards for Best Dance Album (twice) and Best Female Vocalist |
Early Life in Daveyton
Lebo Mathosa grew up in Daveyton, a township near Benoni on the East Rand. She started singing as a young child in her local church choir, from about the age of seven.
Her family later moved to Johannesburg, where she went to St Mary’s High School. She was still a teenager when music producer Don Laka spotted her talent and brought her into a new group he was putting together.
The Boom Shaka Years
Boom Shaka was one of the biggest kwaito groups of the 1990s. Don Laka formed the group, and its members were:
- Lebo Mathosa
- Thembi Seete
- Junior Sokhela
- Theo Nhlengethwa
Their first single, “It’s About Time”, came out in 1993 and became a hit with young South Africans. Lebo and Thembi were the lead singers. They are credited with bringing new dance moves, fashion and hairstyles to teenage girls in the mid-1990s, and their bold stage style drew both fans and critics.
Lebo left Boom Shaka in 1999 to start a solo career.
Solo Career: Albums and Awards
Her first solo album, Dream, came out in 2000 and went gold within weeks. Its single “Ntozabantu” became one of her signature songs.
| Album | Year | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| Dream | 2000 | Went gold within weeks; won SAMAs for Best Dance Album and Best Female Vocalist |
| Drama Queen | 2004 | Won the SAMA for Best Dance Album |
| Lioness | 2006 | Her last album, released in the year she died |
Awards and nominations
| Award | For |
|---|---|
| SAMA Best Dance Album | Dream |
| SAMA Best Female Vocalist | Dream |
| SAMA Best Dance Single | “Ntozabantu” |
| SAMA Best Dance Album | Drama Queen |
| MOBO Awards nomination (United Kingdom) | Best African Act |
The SAMAs are the South African Music Awards, the country’s main music awards. The MOBO Awards are a British music award show, and the nomination showed how far her music had travelled.
Lebo Mathosa’s Best-Known Songs
- “It’s About Time” (with Boom Shaka)
- “Ntozabantu” (from Dream)
- “I Love Music”
- “Awu Dede”
- “Brand New Day”
- “Sweet Love”
She was also featured on a remix of “I’ll Trade”, a song by the American R&B singer Keith Sweat.
Big Stages and Television
Lebo Mathosa was known for her energy on stage. Some of the biggest moments of her career were live shows:
- She performed at Nelson Mandela’s 85th birthday celebration in July 2003.
- She sang at Trafalgar Square in London.
- She toured the United States with a South African production of The Vagina Monologues.
She also acted on South African television, with roles in the soapies Muvhango and Generations and in the drama series Backstage. If you follow Generations, see our Connie Ferguson biography for one of the show’s best-known stars.
How Lebo Mathosa Died
Lebo Mathosa died in a car accident in the early hours of 23 October 2006, near Germiston on the East Rand. Her driver lost control of the vehicle, and she died at the scene. She was 29 years old.
Her death came in the same year as her third solo album, Lioness, while her career was still growing.
Her Legacy, 20 Years Later
Lebo Mathosa is remembered as one of the women who shaped kwaito and South African dance music in the years after 1994, with a stage style that was new for the time.
| Year | How she was remembered |
|---|---|
| 2019 | BET Africa aired Dream: The Lebo Mathosa Story, a six-part drama series that started on 6 November 2019. KB Motsilanyane played the adult Lebo and Bahumi Madisakwane played her as a teenager |
| 2026 | On 23 October 2026, the 20th anniversary of her death, SABC News published a tribute and her name trended on Google in South Africa |
For other South African music stars who took local sounds to the world, read our Black Coffee biography and Tyla biography.
Lebo Mathosa Questions
How old was Lebo Mathosa when she died?
She was 29. She was born on 17 July 1977 and died on 23 October 2006.
How did Lebo Mathosa die?
She died in a car accident near Germiston on the East Rand in the early hours of 23 October 2006, after her driver lost control of the car.
What was Lebo Mathosa’s real name?
Her full first name was Lebohang. Lebo is the short form she used on stage.
Which group was Lebo Mathosa in?
She was a lead singer of the kwaito group Boom Shaka, with Thembi Seete, Junior Sokhela and Theo Nhlengethwa. She left the group in 1999 and went solo.
How old would Lebo Mathosa be in 2026?
She would have turned 49 on 17 July 2026.
Is there a series about Lebo Mathosa’s life?
Yes. Dream: The Lebo Mathosa Story was a six-part drama series on BET Africa that started on 6 November 2019.
More: Black Coffee biography · Tyla biography · Connie Ferguson biography · South African celebrities