Peter Ngqibs (born Ngqibeko Peter Ncanywa) is a Xhosa South African singer-songwriter. Peter was born and raised in Pretoria, South Africa on the 7th of August, 1988. He attended the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School in the heart of the Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa where he began his music studies in voice, piano and later, Organ. He received numerous awards but the most notable two being the Best Tenor Soloist for 2003, and making the Honours Roll for Piano with the University of South Africa (UNISA). The Drakensberg Boys’ Choir has produced world-class classical musicians, such as Jacques Imbrailo and Clint Van Der Linde, as well as some of South Africa’s local talent like the The Bala Brothers - Zwai, Loyiso and Phelo Bala. When he left the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School, he briefly attended the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg where Oscar-winning actress, Charlize Theron, broke her ankle while training to be a ballet dancer. Peter left the National School of the Arts and matriculated from St George’s College. He was the young school’s choir accompanist and also served as the music director for an annual show the students put together. He was recently accepted into Westminster Choir College’s Organ performance program, but has chosen to attend the John J. Cali School of Music to pursue his studies. Peter Ngqibs released his debut solo album under the name Ngqibs - Let Me Be on the 9th of February. In March he released Ngqibs - Let Me Be: Recharged which included an additional three songs he felt were a part of the whole theme of the overall album. He turned down a record deal with Sony BMG Africa shortly after the release because he felt he wasn’t ready for it and that he “would appreciate it more if he generated it [music career] on his own.” The album was produced primarily on Apple’s Garageband. He has described his album as one about “finding yourself and being true to who you are. Hence the title.” The album features a few songs he recorded in South Africa which have a distinctly African feel like My Goodbye. Free Me (Let Me Be), the title track, has been described as the “song that inspires a love/hate relationship; getting stuck in your noggin to maddening effect and quickly becoming as annoying as it is secretly enjoyable…If harnessed and focused, NGQIBS’ talent might become a formidable Pop force.” Wildy’s World gave the album an overall rating of 3/5. On the 20th of February, 2010, Peter Ngqibs released a 6-track EP titled Proudly South African to celebrate President Nelson Mandela’s 20 years of freedom. The EP kicks off with a dark feel and ends on an inspiring hopeful note. The songs and/or their titles are songs that he believes represent what President Nelson Mandela stands for (Hope, Proudly South African, and Stand Up!) and the issues he has had to face (Phantom Girl - a metaphor on racial issues). The EP was co-produced by Peter Litvin in New York City. He is currently working on his second album due later this year. |
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