LADYSMITH Black Mambazo bring their distinctive sound to Poole’s Lighthouse tomorrow.

With a signature chorus of powerful harmonies that emote the struggles and passion of South Africa, they first came to prominence in Europe using their music to agitate for the end of the apartheid era.

After his release from prison, Nelson Mandela publicly called Ladysmith “South Africa’s cultural ambassadors”. The group sings a cappella isicathamiya and mbube music – loud, powerful choruses contrast with softer, almost whispering chants where voices blend harmoniously, combined with tightly-choreographed dance moves that keep the singers on their toes.