[1] In New York City, she connected with other South African exiles, including Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela and Jonas Gwangwa,[2] and went on to work with Cannonball Adderley, David Axelrod and Harry Belafonte.
[1] On screen, her singing can also be heard in Roots, The Color Purple (1985), and the 1973 film A Warm December,[3] and she was a guest on a Season 6 episode of Soul Train.
Producer Quincy Jones said of her: "Mbulu is the roots lady, projecting a sophistication and warmth which stirs hope for attaining pure love, beauty, and unity in the world.
[5] As the apartheid regime categorised, discriminated against and abused South Africa's non-white population in the 1960s, Mbulu went to the United States, where, in exile, she continued to pursue music.
She toured with jazz alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, and also went on to join forces with American singer Harry Belafonte.