Vusi Mahlasela counts Paul Simon, Angélique Kidjo, Miriam Makeba, Dave Matthews and Abdullah Ibrahim among his close friends and musical collaborators, and Sting and Danny Glover are among the first people to pick up anything new he releases. A few weeks ago, Mahlasela flew to New York for the fifth time this year — this time to take part in the Africa Time production put together by Hugh Masekela and staged at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall. He relives the the Isaac Stern Auditorium experience. ”It was incredible. It’s almost impossible to describe to anyone who wasn’t there — the room was electric! Being on that stage, my mind raced at the thought of the many great musicians and artists who have performed in that space. ”For a South African to be given that platform was for me one of the most humbling and rewarding experiences of my career so far. It was like entering heaven … For a moment it was as though we were one big happy family, the pride of South Africa.”Jabu Khanyile, Busi Mhlongo, Kaya Mahlangu and Tsepo Tshola all painted their personalities across the Manhattan skyline along with Mahlasela.A little more than a decade ago playing on a stage in his own country was merely a dream — now one of Mamelodi’s proudest exports shares his art with the world at large. His vision, hunger to succeed and talent have helped him carve out a career that is no less distinguished than those of fellow greats, some twice his age. He is humble about his success, though. ”From the time that I started out in the business I’ve always had a good group of people around me, a support structure if you will,” Mahlasela says. ”There is a list as long as my arm of names of people who have made my career the success it is. It still amazes me today, the number of people who genuinely care and wish to participate and share in writing the story of my musical life.”Mahlasela is signed in the United States to Dave Matthews’s ATO label. With a compilation album spanning his past five solo albums, including his latest, Jungle of Questions, ready to drop in June in the US exclusively, Mahlasela is set to embrace his growing global audience. ”It’s pleasantly surprising to see how accessible my music is to people north of South [Africa],” Mahlasela says. ”I dip in and try to understand what it is exactly that turns people on, but I keep coming up empty-handed, which is maybe a good thing.” Each record, from the groundbreaking 1992 album When You Come Back, through 1994’s Wisdom of Forgiveness and 1997’s Silang Mabele, to the millennial Miyela Afrika, has contributed to an impressive body of work. Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony, the 2002 Sundance Film Festival Documentary Audience Award-winner, features Joe Nina and other local luminaries. Mahlasela contributed to five tracks on the soundtrack. Select screenings of the film take place soon.”Sometimes I think I am living in a perpetual dream,” Mahlasela says. ”With every album and with every new deal I sign, my confidence grows because I see each achievement as acknowledgement from my fans and peers that what I am doing is what they want to hear.”His passion keeps him going and equips him to challenge everything from formatted radio playlists to stale listening habits. But his biggest fear is that his health will fail him, because he still has many more fine stories to tell. ”It’s a labour of love at the end of the day and your health is your success, as much as anything,” he says in parting. ”I am very grateful to God that my career has not suffered because of illness. The combination of support from friends, family and — most importantly — the fans has and continues to keep me strong, so at the end of the day my success is because of everything that holds me high and supports me. Take that away from any man and he is nothing.”