The Bala family siblings have all traveled a long path from the tough streets of their birthplace in the Kwa-Nobuhle township outside Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape.
Songwriter, musician, producer, arranger, performing artist, disc jockey, TV personality... the family's multi-talented oldest brother ZWAI BALA hardly needs introduction, while his younger brother LOYISO has carved out an impressive solo recording career for himself.
Now, with both Zwai and Loyiso's own stars still burning brightly, they've joined forces with gifted younger brother PHELO to form a trio known simply as... Bala Brothers.
Phelo is currently Deputy Head Boy at the internationally acclaimed Drakensburg Boys Choir School, the same institution where Zwai and then Loyiso started on their musical paths.
The Bala Brothers have already performed a handful of well-received gigs, including a debut appearance on SABC2's 'Strictly Come Dancing' as well as at Rand Merchant Bank's popular Starlight Classics event held this year at the Johnnesburg Country Club at the end of September.
Now, their debut album B3 is released. It features a unique mix of songs, ranging from popular 'standards' such as 'Circle Of Life', 'Beauty And The Beast' (which features the glorious voice of guest Judith Sephuma), 'You Raise Me Up', and Queen's 'Somebody To Love', to operatic numbers such as 'Nella Fantasia', 'Caro Mio Ben' and 'All I Ask Of You', the latter featuring the soaring vocals of internationally acclaimed soprano Angela Kerrison.
The bulk of the songs was recorded with a full orchestra, with the Bala siblings in harmonious voice. The majority of tracks were also produced by Zwai.
Perhaps most interestingly, the album also features several Bala-composed original tracks ('Masibyelayane', 'Khumbula' and the bonus track 'Beautiful Women') that shine alongside 'classic' South African tunes such as 'Sylvia' and 'Ziph'inkomo'.