Joyous Celebration is a popular award-winning gospel choir in South Africa and one of the most celebrated and famous choirs in Africa. Though domiciled in the Rainbow nation, the composition of the choir comprises singers from different African countries. The Joyous Celebration choir has released so many award-winning and soul-lifting songs. In this article, we will discuss the top 15 Joyous Celebration songs and albums of all time.
This choir was founded by three friends – Jabu Hlongwane, Lindelani Mkhize, and Mthunzi Namba. It was created as a means of celebrating South Africa’s democracy and the end of racial segregation. The first Joyous Celebration show was held in 1996, and today, the choir has grown into one of the biggest choirs in Africa.
Picking The Best Joyous Celebration Songs and Albums Of All Times
According to the information on the Joyous Celebration website, the three friends who started the Joyous Celebration choir did not know that one day, their choir was going to become one of the biggest and most recognized choirs in South Africa.
Today, being a member of the choir increases your profile as a singer and the choir has released several hit songs. Through their songs, they have blessed the hearts of so many people across Africa. If you are seeking to know some of the best songs from Joyous Celebration, you are in the right place. Here are some of the best songs and albums of Joyous Celebration of all time.
1. Tambira Jehovah
- Type: Praise
- Album: My Gift to You, Vol. 15, Pt. 2 (Live At The ICC Arena Durban)
- YouTube Views: Over 10 million
- Producer: N/A
- Other Facts: Written and performed by Mkhululi Bhebhe ft Joyous Celebration
When the song, Tambira Jehova, was released in 2011, it soon became one of the hottest praise songs for churches and choirs. It was not only a hit in South Africa but the whole of Africa. The language barrier did not stop people who are not South Africans from enjoying the song.
To date, people still spend time listening to the song, and from the comments on YouTube, you can tell that they can’t get enough of it. The dance that accompanied the song also adds vibes to it.
2. I Am That I Am
- Type: Worship
- Album: One Purpose
- YouTube Views: Over 1.5 million
- Producer: N/A
- Other Facts: Released in 2014
I Am That I Am is another hit song from Joyous Celebration. It is one of the songs from the album ‘One Purpose’. This song is one that you should listen to whenever you want to just appreciate God for being so good.
Just like every song that really touched the heart of listeners, I Am That I Am is still appreciated by Christians all around Africa and the world over.
3. Itshokwadi
- Type: Praise and Worship
- Album: Joyous Celebration Volume 16 – Live At Carnival City
- YouTube Views: Over 5 million
- Producer: N/A
Joyous Celebration Volume 16, which was performed live at Carnival City is one of the hit albums for Joyous Celebration. This album contains a lot of hit tracks like Itshokwadi, which is one of the hit songs in the album. From the comments on YouTube, you can tell that Itshokwadi has helped to renew the faith of Christians in God. The song has over 5 million views.
Other hit tracks in this album include; Tshala and Ngiphete Ungqo, which all have over 5 million views. There are other tracks in the album that have more than a million views like ‘More Than A Conqueror’ and ‘Hanya Mahala’.
4. Phindukhulume
- Type: Worship
- Album: Joyous Celebration 4 – Connecting the Nation
- YouTube Views: 979k
- Producer: N/A
- Other Facts: Released in 2000
According to the information on Google, Phindukhulume was released in 2000, as one of the tracks in ‘Joyous Celebration 4 – Connecting the Nation’. Since then, the award-winning choir has re-performed the song several times.
In 2008, it was performed at the Grand West Arena in Cape Town, and also at the Monte Casino in Johannesburg. As old as this song is, it still resonates with Christians and their work with God. From the comments, it is obvious that people around Africa have been blessed by this song.
5. Siyabonga Jesu
- Type: Praise
- Album: Joyous Celebration Volume 15 My Gift – Live At ICC Arena Durban
- YouTube Views: Over 160k
- Producer: N/A
- Other Facts: The song is over 10 years old
Even if you are having a bad day, you won’t help but move your feet to the rhythm when listening to Joyous Celebration’s ‘Siyabonga Jesu’. The rhythm and its lyrics are all uplifting.
It’s been over 10 years since the song was released, but it is still very much appreciated by a number of Christians. From the comment section on YouTube, you can tell that Siyabonga Jesu is indeed one of Joyous Celebration’s best songs of all time.
6. Ndenzle’ Uncedo
- Type: Praise
- Album: Joyous Celebration 25 – We Still Rise
- YouTube Views: Over 7 million views
- Producer: N/A
- Other Facts: So many people have testimonies about the song
The official video of Ndenzle’ Uncedo has over 7 million views on YouTube. This song is undeniably one of Joyous Celebration’s greatest of all time. One thing about the fans of Joyous Celebration is that they do not just show their appreciation for the song, they also send a lot of love to the lead vocalist.
The comment section of this song is filled with reviews of people who were in very sad situations like severe health issues but kept singing this song in their hearts. The song is soul-lifting and one that Christians appreciate when life is not going according to plan.
7. Who Am I
- Type: Worship
- Album: Joyous Celebration 20- Part 2 Alumni (Live)
- YouTube Views: Over 2.2 million
- Producer: N/A
- Others: Released in 2016
As a Christian, one of the Joyous Celebration songs that comes to mind when you want to remember how faithful God has been and show gratitude is ‘Who am I’. So many Christians can relate to the lyrics of the song, which is why it amassed over 2 million views on YouTube.
This song is also the type that does not get outdated. To date, people still stream the song to connect to the feeling of gratitude that it brings. A fan said she used this song for her entrance during her wedding. There are also comments of people who immediately retraced their steps to Christ while watching the songs on YouTube.
8. Namhla Nkosi
- Type: Praise and Worship
- Album: Joyous Celebration 20- Part 2 Alumni (Live)
- YouTube Views: 1.3 million
- Producer: N/A
- Other Facts: Almost all the songs in the album have over 100k views
Namhla Nkosi is one of the hit songs from Joyous Celebration 20 – Part 2 Alumni (Live). It has over a million views on YouTube. The comment section of songs in this album is filled with appreciation from people across the world that have been blessed through this song.
The Joyous Celebration 20 – Part 2 Alumni (Live) album has 24 songs, and almost all the songs have over 100k views on YouTube. Another hit song in this album that was appreciated by people across Southern Africa, even countries in the western part of Africa is ‘I Press’. The song was performed by Patrick Duncan.
9. We’bangcewele
- Type: Praise
- Album: One Purpose
- YouTube Views: Over 3 million views
- Producer: N/A
- Other Facts: Each song in the album has over 15k views
We’bangcewele has over 3 million views on YouTube. It was released in 2014 but Christians still enjoy the song as though it is recent. This song is part of the album ‘One Purpose’. The album One Purpose is one of the best offerings of Joyous Celebration of all time because it contains many hit songs. The album was released in 2014, and since then, it has continued to bless the hearts of its listeners.
On YouTube, the album contains 39 songs and each of these songs has more than 15k views. The album also has hit songs that have amassed millions of views like ‘Modimo a le Teng‘. This song has over 2 million views.
The most viewed song in this album is titled Umoya Praise and it has over 4 million views. Although some of the songs have more views than others, the comment section is filled with similar comments of how the song has been a blessing in people’s lives.
10. Beulah Land
- Type: Praise and Worship
- Album: Joyous Celebration 9
- YouTube Views: 208k
- Producer: N/A
- Other Facts: Each Video in the album has over 20k views
Beulah Land is one of the most viewed songs in the Joyous Celebration 9 album. Listeners of the song received it with so much appreciation and the evidence can be seen by the number of views. Joyous Celebration 9 has about 15 songs in it. Almost all the songs have over 20k views on YouTube.
Unfortunately, comments are turned off for the songs. But considering that almost all the songs in the album have a good number of views, you can tell that the album was a blessing to so many Christians.
11. Na Ma Ta
- Type: Praise and Worship
- Album: Joyous Celebration Volume 17 – Grateful
- YouTube Views: 6.9 million
- Producer: N/A
- Other Facts: The album has songs with millions of views
Na Ma Ta is one of the hit tracks from Joyous Celebration Volume 17 – Grateful. This song has over 6 million views on YouTube. One of the viewers who absolutely loved the song took the painstaking effort of translating the lyrics to English to help international audiences understand better.
The album was released in 2013 and is made up of 36 soul-lifting songs. Almost all the songs in this album have more than 10k views. Another song in the album titled ‘Baleka’ has more than 4 million views.
There are also songs in the album with over 100k views. The comment section of the songs in this album is filled with people, narrating how the song has touched their lives.
12. Makabongwe/Angimboni
- Type: Worship
- Album: Rewind
- YouTube Views: 1.7 million
- Producer: N/A
- Other Facts: The album has 25 songs
Makabongwe/Angimboni has over 1.5 million views on YouTube. It is one of the most viewed songs on the 2012 album, ‘Rewind’. And just like other Joyous Celebration songs, the comment section of the song is filled with praises to God for the music group.
Rewind is another hit album by the award-winning Joyous Celebration choir. On YouTube, the album contains more than 25 songs. Unlike other albums, where each song has a good number of views, this album is one of the few Joyous Celebration albums that have songs that did very well and some songs that did poorly.
Another hit song titled ‘What A Mighty God’ has over 100k views. Even the songs in this album that did poorly in terms of views and those that did well have wonderful comments.
13. Solid Rock
- Type: Praise
- Album: My Gift to You, Vol. 15, Pt. 2 (Live At The ICC Arena Durban)
- YouTube Views: 35k
- Producer: N/A
- Other Facts: Each song in the album has over 33k views
My Gift to You, Vol. 15, Pt. 2 (Live At The ICC Arena Durban) has several hit songs in it. One of the hit songs is the internationally appreciated ‘Tambira Jehovah’. But that’s not the only one.
Another song in the album titled ‘Solid Rock’ has over 1.8 million views. Solid Rock was led by the Nigerian singer, Uche Agu, and in the comment section, viewers were full of praises for him and how he delivered the song. ‘Healer‘, another song in the album, also did really well with more than 33k views.
This album was released in 2011, but it has not stopped getting views and comments on YouTube. Obviously, there are songs that won’t fade away, and this album from Joyous Celebration has a good number of such songs.
14. O Jesu Themba
- Type: Praise
- Album: Joyous Celebration Volume 15 My Gift – Live at ICC Arena Durban
- YouTube Views: 59k
- Producer: N/A
- Other Facts: One of Joyous Celebration old songs that are still appreciated today
This is one of the oldest songs of Joyous Celebration and it still commands attention. Most listeners who go back to their YouTube channel to listen to O Jesu Themba are people who were touched by the song when they were young. Probably, if this song was uploaded earlier, it would have had more views.
O Jesu Themba is one hit song from the album, Joyous Celebration Volume 15, which was performed live at the ICC Arena Durban. The album contains a lot of hit songs and it has over 50k views on YouTube. This particular song uplifts the soul of the listeners and opens the heart of Christians to how good God is.
Some other hit songs in this album include Ushilo Njaba, with over 34k views, and Sibongile Amandia Akho. This song is one of the choir’s most loved and it has over 80k views.
15. Ngobekezela
- Type: Praise and Worship
- Album: Live at Grace Bible Church Soweto
- YouTube Views: 6.9 million
- Producer: N/A
- Other Facts: It is a song that restores hope
Ngobekezela was performed live at Grace Bible Church, Soweto and the entire crowd could relate to the song. The song reassures believers that God is aware of everything and there is hope.
A pleased viewer took his time to translate the song in the comment section, for those who do not understand the language. A viewer even promised that by 2025, he would still be listening to this song.
Other noteworthy songs and albums from Joyous Celebration include:
- This Love
- Order My Steps
- Zulu Worship
- Jerusalema
- Sweet Jesus
- Overflow
