Kato is well known in Japan, and has been amazing audiences since 1965 with her singular voice and captivating stage presence.

She will be performing with the best musicians South Africa has to offer in the form of Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse, Raymond Green, Isaac Mtshali, Godfrey Mgcina, Mdu Mtshali, Themba Mkhize, Theo Kgosinkwe, and Victor Masondo at the Joburg Theatre on 8 November. The beneficiary of the concert is the Orlando Children’s home.

Kato has endeared herself to the Japanese public since she started her career more than four decades ago when she won the best new talent award in the Japan Record Grand Prix with her song A Red Balloon.

She was catapulted into overnight stardom when she won the same award in 1969 with her virtuoso performance of her own song Lullaby for a Lonely Night. Over the years she has written many great hits such as the Seventies' Love Life, The Gray Eyes, An Old-Fashioned Bar and If I Could Fly; the Eighties' No Regrets for My Life, Million Rose, and A Wrecked Ship; and the Nineties' The River Flows. In addition, she has successfully covered other Asian and European hits in her own style.

“It is not often we get talent like this arriving on our shores. Especially with the staying power of Kato,” said concert organiser Victor Masondo.

“Rescue SA's 50-member team braved freezing cold and difficult conditions in their non-stop search for bodies in Japan's earthquake and tsunami-devastated areas, in March this year, and it is this effort which is being acknowledged by Kato,” said Masondo.

Off stage, Kato lends her celebrity status to many social causes. In 1998, she became councillor for WWF (Worldwide Fund) Japan and in 2000, the Ministry of the Environment appointed her as a special envoy for the United Nations Environment Programme. Although mainly a singer, she is also known as an actress and a writer.


Legendary producer and musician Victor Sibusiso Masondo, who is behind the Thank you SA- Tokiko Kato show, served as music director and producer of the music for the closing ceremony for the Fifa World Cup. At the same time he served as musical director for the Brenda Fassie Musical. Not only has Masondo produced an album for Kato, but he also tours Japan two or three times a year doing recordings, musical directing and television concerts and shows.

Makhaza Isaac ‘Mnca’ Mtshali of Stimela and Paul Simon's Graceland Project fame, has seen him straddling the line between pop, jazz, umbaqanga and afro music. Stimela recently released an album called Life Time, which reflects 30 years of talent.

Godfrey Mgcina began his career with Moses Ngwenya of the legendary South African group Soul Brothers. His credits include playing drums on Clarence Carter’s album Live in Johannesburg and Shirley Brown of Woman to Woman fame. He travels the world regularly as a session musician and is renowned for his experience and understanding of African rhythms.

Musical maestro Themba Mkhize, of Sakhile and Bayete fame, has worked as musical director and producer for artists such as Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba and Sibongile Khumalo before releasing his jazz album, Tales from the South. Mkhize co-owns production company Thella Music, and also owns Mavovo Production Studios.

Music legend Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse is an integral part of the entertainment industry and his contribution to the diverse landscape of South Africa is appreciated and honoured by music lovers the world over. Throughout the course of Mabuse’s near 50-year career, he has become a musical ambassador for South Africa, performing in virtually every country in Africa and touring to places such as the United States, England, France, Germany and Italy as well as a host of others.

Multiple Sama Award winner Theo Kgosinkwe (who rose to fame as part of the hugely successful group Mafikizolo) has also achieved an enviable level of crossover into all races and ages in South Africa. Alongside being revered as one of the most gifted songwriters of his generation and an entrepreneur (he co-owns a record label - Black Diamond Records – with Julius Nekwa) Kgosinkwe is also an ambassador for the Brothers for Life media campaign to raise HIV awareness in South Africa and a TB ambassador.

Tickets for the Thank you SA- Tokiko Kato show are from R100 to R300. Tickets can be obtained from www.joburgtheatre.com, and the show starts at 20:00 on 8 November.