Odwa Bongo

Odwa Bongo is a South African vocalist and uHadi instrumentalist dedicated to cultural heritage. He is known for his work in elevating the uHadi bow (a traditional Xhosa string instrument) bringing its sound and stories into contemporary performance spaces.

Odwa has performed widely in Cape Town and beyond, appearing at venues and events such as WOMAD South Africa, The Music Imbizo, Embo Music Concert, Artscape, The Baxter Theatre, and Folklore Festival. He has also shared stages with international audiences and performed with the late Dr. Madosini, Simphiwe Dana, Camagwini, Zolani Mahola, Koleka Putuma & Pieter Odendaal.

Recognized as one of South Africa’s top LGBTIQ+ creatives by The Wire, Odwa continues to expand the reach of indigenous South African music, weaving storytelling, language, and heritage into dynamic live performances and collaborations.