After this singer recorded the song, Pata Pata in 1967, she became the first African singer to have a hit on the American charts. Who is she?

The infectious song "Pata Pata," which means "touch touch" in the Xhosa language, was more than just a dance craze. When the South African singer and activist recorded her version in 1967, the track soared up the American charts. It reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first African artist to have a major hit in the United States and securing her place in music history. She had actually been performing the song for years, but this new recording for a global audience made it an international phenomenon.

Known affectionately as "Mama Africa," she was a global icon whose life was as remarkable as her voice. She used her international platform not only to share the music of her homeland but also to speak out fiercely against the apartheid regime in South Africa. Her powerful testimony at the United Nations in 1963 led to the South African government revoking her citizenship and banning her records, forcing her into an exile that would last for over three decades. Her career was a testament to the power of art as a form of resistance, blending joyful rhythms with a profound message of justice and freedom.