Danny K is a versatile South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

n singer, songwriter

Songwriter

A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...

 and actor

Actor

An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...

. He holds a B.A.

Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

 degree from the Wits University. He has produced some chart topping hits and award winning albums.

He was one of the first South African musicians to perform on The Oprah Winfrey Show

The Oprah Winfrey Show

The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....

in Chicago with guests like Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder

Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...

, Tina Turner

Tina Turner

Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...

, Josh Groban

Josh Groban

Joshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country...

 and John Travolta

John Travolta

John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...

 appearing on the same day.

Danny has toured and performed with many renowned international acts including: Usher

Usher (entertainer)

Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...

, Craig David

Craig David

Craig Ashley David is an English singer and songwriter. He has released five studio albums: Born to Do It, Slicker Than Your Average, The Story Goes..., Trust Me, Signed Sealed Delivered and a Greatest Hits album...

, P Diddy, Ladysmith Black Mombazo, Eric Benet

Eric Benét

Eric Benét, is an American singer. His duet with Tamia, "Spend My Life With You" was a number one song for three weeks on the US Billboard R&B chart and was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2000....

, Bob Geldof

Bob Geldof

Robert Frederick Zenon "Bob" Geldof, KBE is an Irish singer, songwriter, author, occasional actor and political activist. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. The band had hits with his...

, U2

U2

U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...

, Queen

Queen (band)

Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...

 and Beyoncé

Beyoncé Knowles

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...

.

He is also one of only five South African acts chosen to perform at Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...

's 46664 concert at the Green Point Stadium

Green Point Stadium

The Green Point Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa was an 18,000 seat multi-purpose stadium.The stadium was used mainly for football matches, and was the home ground of Santos Football Club and Ajax Cape Town at different points....

, Cape Town

Cape Town

Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...

, South Africa which was broadcast to three billion people worldwide.

Danny has also performed for the opening of the ICC World Cup as well as for Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...

 and Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey

Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...

 and Madiba's annual birthday party in Qunu

Qunu

Qunu is a small rural village in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province, south-west of Mthatha on the road between Butterworth and Mthatha.Mvezo on Mbashe River is near where Nelson Mandela was born, and Qunu is where he grew up and later retired after leaving office as South Africa's President in...

 in Transkei, South Africa.

On 7 July 2007 Danny K performed at the South African leg

Live Earth concert, Johannesburg

The Live Earth concert in South Africa was held at the Coca-Cola Dome, South Africa on 7 July 2007.-Running order:*South African Drum Cafe Team - unknown title...

 of Live Earth

Live Earth

-Background:Founded by Emmy-winning producer Kevin Wall, in partnership with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, Live Earth was built upon the belief that entertainment has the power to transcend social and cultural barriers to move the world community to action...

.

Awards and nominations

He was nominated multiple times for the SAMA

South African Music Awards

The South African Music Awards are an annual award ceremony, run by the Recording Industry of South Africa , where accolades are presented to members of South Africa's music industry. Winners receive a statuette is called a SAMA. The event was established in 1995...

 and has won 4 times. He has two consecutive Kids Choice Awards, two consecutive Crystal Awards (People's Choice Awards

People's Choice Awards

The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show recognizing the people and the work of popular culture. The show has been held annually since 1975 and is voted on by the general public. The People's Choice Awards air on CBS and are produced by Procter & Gamble and Survivor magnate Mark Burnett...

), You magazine Award for Bes SA Musician; and The South African STYLE Award.

Award	Granting Body	Place	Year
Best Pop Album for Same Difference	S.A.M.A. South African Music Awards The South African Music Awards are an annual award ceremony, run by the Recording Industry of South Africa , where accolades are presented to members of South Africa's music industry. Winners receive a statuette is called a SAMA. The event was established in 1995...	Johannesburg Johannesburg Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...	2007
Best Pop Album for This Is My Time	S.A.M.A. South African Music Awards The South African Music Awards are an annual award ceremony, run by the Recording Industry of South Africa , where accolades are presented to members of South Africa's music industry. Winners receive a statuette is called a SAMA. The event was established in 1995...	Johannesburg Johannesburg Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...	2007
Best Collaboration (with Mandoza Mandoza Mduduzi Tshabalala , well known as Mandoza, is a South African kwaito musician.- Early life :Mandoza was born in the Zola South section of Soweto, where he shared a house with his mother, his grandparents and two sisters. He never knew his father, his mother claiming that he was murdered the same... )	Channel O Channel O Music Video Awards Channel O Music Video Awards, also known as Spirit of Africa Music Video Awards are Pan-African music awards organised by South Africa -based Channel O television channel. The awards were first held in 2003 under the name Reel Music Video Awards. Since 2005 the awards have been held annually...		2006
Best S.A. Musician	You magazine	Johannesburg Johannesburg Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
Best Dressed Male	S.A. Style	Johannesburg Johannesburg Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
Best South African Artist	Kids' Choice Awards	Johannesburg Johannesburg Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...

• Danny was also voted at number 34 in the Heat Magazine's Hot 100 for 2007.
• Voted by First National Bank
  First National Bank
  First National Bank may refer to:-Banking institutions :* First National Bank of Florida, based in Milton, Florida, with branches in Pensacola and other cities in the Florida Panhandle.* FNB Corporation of Hermitage, Pennsylvania...
  
   national survey as S.A.'s few role models
• Voted S.A.'s most trustworthy 100 public personalities by Readers Digest.

Current work

Danny K's yet untitled 2009 studio album has been a matter of great interest. On September 13, 2008 Danny K mentioned on his official MySpace page that he was working with Grammy Award Winning producer Danja, Award Winning song writing team The Clutch

The Clutch

The Clutch is an American collective of songwriters responsible for a series of successful singles including Omarion's "Ice Box", Ciara's "Like a Boy", Timbaland's "The Way I Are", Britney Spears' "Radar" and Raven-Symone's "Double Dutch Bus".-History:...

 and well as Soul Diggaz

Soul Diggaz

Soul Diggaz are a R&B/hip-hop production duo composed of Karriem "K-Mack" Mack, Shaun "Bless" Owens and songwriter Corté "The Author" Ellis. Corté Ellis, who is currently putting the final touches on his debut album, is the younger cousin of Hip-Hop Superstar Missy Elliott. They have recently added...

. This album promises to bring together international flavours with local concepts and sees Danny K entering an entirely new level of music for himself.

Contribution to In-Cha: 2008

Danny K lent his voice on Violin Superstar, the debut album of In-Cha. The track was entitled Crazy Party and has amazing backtrack with Danny K's pop contribution and HHP

Hip Hop Pantsula

Hip Hop Pantsula, born Jabulani Tsambo, is a popular South African Motswako hip-hop MC who frequently performs in ethnic languages, though mostly in Setswana.- Career :...

 hip hip vibe.

This track has had phenomenal success and has allowed In-Cha to appeal to a wider market and has further made the Violin Superstar a success.

All Africa Poker Win: 2006

Danny K took part in the first-ever All Africa Poker Celebrity Charity Challenge which was sponsored by Piggs Peak Casino, Swaziland

Swaziland

Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...

.

He managed to beat out many of the celebrities including: Leanne Manas, Sandy Ngema, Neil Andrews, Mark Fish

Mark Fish

Mark Anthony Fish is a retired South African footballer.-Club career:Fish started his career in his native South Africa under the guidance of renowned coach Steve Coetsee, playing for Arcadia Shepherds, an amateur team based at the Caledonian Stadium in Pretoria...

, Kass Naidoo, Joost van der Westhuizen

Joost van der Westhuizen

Joost van der Westhuizen is a former South African rugby union footballer who was the Springboks' first choice scrum-half in the mid-to-late 1990s and early 2000s. He was capped 89 times for the Springboks and scored 38 tries...

 and Phumlani Msibi to face Alex Jay in a nail-biting showdown.

Danny K won which saw the pot of R100 000 donated to Compassionate Friends, a grief-counseling service in memoriam of his late brother.

Fourth Studio Album: 2006

After his many successes of his previous album, Danny decided to go with the more pop vibe on this album and therefore the album title of This is My Time which expressed it as a way of life.

Unfrozen was one of the stand out tracks which managed to capture the airwaves of many radio stations.

Guest Star in Bunny Chow: 2006

Danny guest-starred in this film about three comedians who embark on a raucous weekend journey to Oppikoppi

Oppikoppi

Oppikoppi is the name of a music festival held in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, near the mining town of Northam. The festival started off focusing mostly on rock music, but gradually added more genres and now plays host to a complete mixed bag of genres...

. They end up getting more than they bargained for.

Collaboration Album with Mandoza: 2005

Titled Same Difference, this was chance for Danny to explore some more of the Kwaito

Kwaito

Kwaito is a music genre that emerged in Johannesburg, South Africa, during the 1990s. It is a variant of house music featuring the use of African sounds and samples. Typically at a slower tempo range than other styles of house music, Kwaito often contains catchy melodic and percussive loop samples,...

 experience and therefore decided to join with Mandoza

Mandoza

Mduduzi Tshabalala , well known as Mandoza, is a South African kwaito musician.- Early life :Mandoza was born in the Zola South section of Soweto, where he shared a house with his mother, his grandparents and two sisters. He never knew his father, his mother claiming that he was murdered the same...

.

Hits like Friday and Summertime came from this album. Pop tracks with a blend of kwaito beats enabled this album to go Gold within two weeks selling 25 000 units.

Guest Star in Crazy Monkey Film: 2005

This saw Danny K make a big screen entrance as Guest star on Crazy Monkey Presents Straight Outta Benoni. He starred as Danny in this film which follows the lives of Brendan and Gavin and their journey towards a 10 year reunion.

Second Album: 2003

Since his first album, Danny K has really learned a lot from his experiences. This album is in memoriam of his late brother Jarren who died when he was 23 years old in a helicopter crash along with several others in Mpumalanga. This is the reason the album was title J23.

He worked again with Alexis Faku and Pete Martin who helped with his debut album. J23 was released trans-continentally. In this album he explores some R&B in addition to his rhythm and pop sound.

He had many interesting collaborations on the album including Johnny Clegg, Sid Money and Kabelo

Kabelo Mabalane

Kabelo Mabalane known by his stage name as Kabelo or Bouga Luv is a South African kwaito musician, songwriter and actor. He was a member of the kwaito trio TKZee...

. This gave his album the versatility and explored a whole new side of Danny K.

Who's That Girl, when released created the sense of a genuine Urban South African track. Johnny Clegg's unmistakable voice with that of Danny K managed to explore African melodies. This was the happenstance of meeting the amazing singer/composer in the studios who heard something that Danny K had written and liked it. That became Who's That Girl.

I Can't Imagine, a ballad penned weeks after Jarren, Danny's brother, died and is wrought with emotion. The song is prefaced with J23 Interlude where Danny pays poetic tribute to his brother who was more like a twin to Danny and was manager to Danny before he passed on.

Debut Album: 2000

Danny K released his SAMA nominated

South African Music Awards

The South African Music Awards are an annual award ceremony, run by the Recording Industry of South Africa , where accolades are presented to members of South Africa's music industry. Winners receive a statuette is called a SAMA. The event was established in 1995...

 self titled debut album in 2000. He managed to release many hot singles off the album:

• Hurts So Bad
• You Don't Know My Name
• So Many Ways
• Getting

Albums

{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
!align="left"|Album Information
|-
|align="left"|Danny K - 2000

• Track List:-
• 1. You Don't Know My Name
• 2. Getting Down
• 3. Hurts So Bad
• 4. Bull$*@!
• 5. Cheatin
• 6. My Destiny
• 7. Too Young (To Hurt So Bad)
• 8. Senorita
• 9. So Many Ways (feat. TK
  Tsakani Mhinga
  Tsakani "TK" Mhinga was a SAMA award-winning South African R&B and kwaito artist who went by the stage name of TK...
  
  )
• 10. Boom Boom
• 11. On My Own
• 12. Where The Wind Goes
• 13. I'm Yours Tonight
• 14. Getting (feat. Speedy & Loyiso)

|-
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
|-
|align="left"|J23 - 2003

• Track List:-
• 1. I Could Love U
• 2. One Of A kind
• 3. Beautiful
• 4. Who's That Girl? (feat Johnny Clegg)
• 5. Unstoppable
• 6. I Just Don't Wanna (feat Sid Money) (Written by Danny K, Alexis Faku with Sid Money)
• 7. Murder
• 8. Boogie All Night Long (feat Kabelo
  Kabelo Mabalane
  Kabelo Mabalane known by his stage name as Kabelo or Bouga Luv is a South African kwaito musician, songwriter and actor. He was a member of the kwaito trio TKZee...
  
   & Sid Money)
• 9. Love In The Club
• 10. Soopadoopa
• 11. How Can I Be?
• 12. J23 Interlude
• 13. I Can't Imagine
• 14. Strength Of A Woman (Written by Danny with Stuart Roslyn and Drew Milligan)
• 15. Serendipity
• 16. Sunshine
• 17. Back In Your Life
• 18. Stay With Me (Live)

|-
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
|-
|align="left"|Same Difference (with Mandoza

Mandoza

Mduduzi Tshabalala , well known as Mandoza, is a South African kwaito musician.- Early life :Mandoza was born in the Zola South section of Soweto, where he shared a house with his mother, his grandparents and two sisters. He never knew his father, his mother claiming that he was murdered the same...

) - 2005

• Track List:-
• 1. Mission
• 2. Friday
• 3. Music
• 4. Rollercoaster
• 5. The Last One's
• 6. Ooh Child (Ungabaleki) (feat Stagga)
• 7. 4 Koll
• 8. You Wish
• 9. Mzanzi Party
• 10. Free
• 11. Summertime
• 12. Faki Nchayelo
• 13. How We Roll
• 14. Ooh Child (Ungabaleki) Remix
• 15. Music Remix

|-
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
|-
|align="left"|This Is My Time - 2006

• Track List:-
• 1. This Is My Time
• 2. Shorty
• 3. Separate Lies
• 4. Clothes Off
• 5. Real Man
• 6. Outdacontrol
• 7. Knock Me Off
• 8. 1000 Sorrys
• 9. I Like Yo Style
• 10. Everything About It
• 11. One Night
• 12. Unfrozen
• 13. I Love You
• 14. All About You
• 15. It Doesn't Matter

|}

Movies

• Crazy Monkey
  Crazy Monkey
  Crazy Monkey is a series of spots made for MTV to go between music videos. The team behind Crazy Monkey first made them in the hope of MTV just airing them at least once, and thus staking the South African flag on the airwaves of the world's music channel....
  
   Presents Straight Outta Benoni 2005
• Bunny Chow
  Bunny Chow (film)
  Bunny Chow is a South African comedy film by John Barker, partnered by MTV. It premiered on 7 September 2006 at the Toronto International Film Festival....
  
   2006

External links

• Danny K on MySpace
• Danny K at Internet Movie Database
  Internet Movie Database
  Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
  
  
• Danny K at tvsa.co.za