Watch Oliver Mtukudzi’s remake of Neria

The well-known song was used as the official soundtrack of the movie of the same name. Shot in Durban, South Africa, the new rendition was released on YouTube at the weekend.

Mtukudzi shared the ‘Neria’ video with his fans on Facebook. It was captioned as “a classic given new life".

The announcement was met with excitement from fans. “The man I fell in love with the first time. I heard his voice singing the song I fell in love with the first time. I heard him sing it, here accompanied by the chorus of men I fell in love with the first time I heard them,” reads one comment.

Another fan wrote: “My best musician alive, so much consistency, quality and character in his art. Have you checked the album he released in April 2018? Hany’Ga (Concern)?.”

Mtukudzi’s manager, Walter Wanyanya, told Music In Africa that the remake was inspired by the artists' previous recordings.

“When Mtukudzi wanted to rerecord ‘Neria’, it was obvious he would ask Ladysmith black Mamabazo because the chemistry was already there,” he said. “The song was recorded one-and-a-half or two years ago when [Joseph] Tshabalala was still active in the group.

“It was there, sitting, and we were waiting for the right moment to present it to the public. So both Mtukudzi and Ladysmith Black Mambazo went back into the studio to perfect it.”

This is not the first time Mtukudzi has joined forces with Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The Grammy award-winning a cappella ensemble featured him on ‘Hello My Baby’ off the 1987 album Shaka Zulu.

Mtukudzi first recorded ‘Neria’ when he was approached by the directors of a movie in production called Winds of Change. After he was given the script, he recorded the song overnight. The directors liked the song so much they decided to change the film's name to Neria. Mtukudzi also starred in the movie as Jethro, a man who comforts his sister Neria through a difficult time.

Watch the remake of 'Neria' below: