The Ndlovu Youth Choir’s isiZulu version of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, which has taken the world by surprise, represents the first time the song has been officially translated and licensed.
The project was approved by Queen’s Brian May, Roger Taylor, and the Mercury Phoenix Trust. Bohemian Rhapsody has earned its place in music history through a combination of critical acclaim and groundbreaking cultural impact. It has been honoured with induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame and achieved Diamond status from the RIAA, a rare feat for any song and a first for a British band.
The idea for the choir’s adaptation emerged while working in Tanzania and it took nearly two years to complete. The lyrics were translated and reworked to preserve the rhythm, emotion, and drama of the original. Some iconic phrases are left in English, such as “Galileo, Galileo.”
Artistic director Ralf Schmitt said the group felt honoured to be the first to release an official translation of the 50-year-old song. Choir member Sandile Majola said that the translation was approached with the utmost care. Lead singer Lungelo Masango said the real challenge was adapting the lyrics into Zulu, since some of the language’s words are very long.
The arrangement blends African musical traditions, including isicathamiya harmonies and kwassa-kwassa rhythms, with expanded call-and-response sections that draw on African performance styles. The music video features the choir in vibrant traditional outfits, designed by local brand Zeitgeist, celebrating an African interpretation of one of rock’s most recognisable anthems.
The Ndlovu Youth Choir, which began in South Africa’s rural Limpopo province and gained international recognition on America’s Got Talent in 2019, has previously performed notable renditions of Nessun Dorma and Tina Turner’s Simply the Best. The new project both honours Queen’s legacy and roots the song in the African continent, where Freddie Mercury was born and raised before moving to the UK at 17.