(Johannesburg) South African Afropop singer Zahara died at the age of 36 on Monday night, the government and her record company announced.

Singing in English and in her mother tongue Xhosa, one of the official languages ​​of South Africa, Zahara was often compared, for her style and her voice, to the American artist Tracy Chapman.

The singer, whose real name was Bulelwa Mkutukana, died in a hospital in Johannesburg. She had released five albums and won 17 South African Music Awards.

“I am very saddened by the passing of @ZaharaSA,” South African Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa said late Monday on the X platform. “Zahara and his guitar had an incredible and lasting impact on southern music -African,” he added.

His record label, Warner Music Africa, also said it was “in mourning”.

The singer was hospitalized last month “following pain,” according to the family. She had publicly spoken about her battle with her alcohol addiction, and her manager revealed in 2019 that she suffered from liver disease.

Originally from a village near East London and from a modest background, Zahara had enjoyed success with her first album Loliwe in 2011, exploding sales in record time.

She had started singing in choirs and learned to play the guitar on her own. Her voice and style were often compared to those of American singers Tracy Chapman and India Arie, and British singer Joan Armatrading.

She was notably invited alongside Hugh Masekela, James Ingram and Lauryn Hill to the largest jazz festival in Africa in Cape Town in 2012.