Lerato Moipone Molapo (born 14 March 1979), known professionally as Lira, is a South African singer. Her name translates to “love” in Sesotho and she speaks four languages. She is a multi-platinum selling and an 11-time South African Music Award (SAMA)-winning Afro-soul vocalist, who refers to her music as “a fusion of soul, funk, elements of jazz and African.”

According to The Star newspaper, Lira is currently considered the foremost adult contemporary female solo artist in South Africa. She has appeared in major ad campaigns and been an ambassador for Audi, Shield, Samsung, MTN and BlackBerry. She has appeared on the covers of more than 30 magazines worldwide.

She lends her time and resources to causes that matter to her the most. She remains active with and has received awards from various grassroots organisations, outreach groups, and advocacy programs such as the Student Sponsorship Programme – which presented her with the Inspiration Award in 2011.

She has also participated in numerous activities for The Southern Africa Trust. In 2015, she was listed by Forbes Magazine as one of the richest female singers in Africa with net worth in excess of $35 million. She was a member of the coaching panel of The Voice South Africa from 2016 to 2019.

Lerato Moipone Molapo was born on 14 March 1979 in Daveyton, Johannesburg to Buyi Radebe (mother) and Khanyapa Molapo Sr. (father). Lira’s world was shaped by the harsh realities of South Africa’s formerly racial and socioeconomic apartheid. She grew up listening to Miriam Makeba, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone, who would eventually inspire her own songwriting. She began performing live at the age of 16, singing both cover versions and self-penned songs.

As an undergraduate student, Lira studied Accounting and used her skills to exchange for recording time at a local studio, resulting in her first demo at the age of 18. Upon graduation, Lira continued in accounting for two years. With ambitions to be a singer she turned in her letter of resignation and created a five-year plan for her music career.

In 2000, she was discovered by musician/producer Arthur Mafokate, who signed her to his record label, 999 Music, and helped with the release of her debut album, All My Love (2003). The album earned her accolades at the Metro FM Awards, SAMAs and Channel O Reel Music Awards. The title track even knocked Beyoncé’s single “Dangerously in Love” off the charts The following year, she left 999 Music and teamed up with keyboardist Victor Mngomezulu, bassist Tshepo Sekele, and producer Robin Kohl. Subsequently, she was signed to Sony Music Africa and released her first major label album Feel Good the following year.

In 2006, she released her first major label album on Sony Music Africa. Feel Good began making waves on the South African music scene. The title track quickly became the most played local song at radio. The album earned her nominations at the South African Music Awards (SAMA) and became the first music video from a South African artist to be featured on VH-1. The album sold Triple-Platinum by the Recording Industry of South Africa while the single received the SAMA Award in 2008 for most downloaded song. In July 2007, the album was released in Italy, where its title track gained massive airplay.

In 2008, she released the 13-track LP Soul in Mind. It went on to set a SAMA record the following summer for most awards won in a single year (4) by a single artist. The album was certified triple-platinum. Later this year Glamour Magazine South Africa named her “Woman of the Year.” In 2009, she began assembling the makings of her live concert DVD. Filmed before a live audience at the Carnival City Casino, the production employed 10 RED digital video cameras – a first globally – and was released the same year. Nine million South Africans tuned into the concert’s telecast and subsequently, the DVD reached three-times platinum when it was released in November 2010. In 2011, a Blu-ray version was released making it the first Blu-ray to be released on the continent.[10] The DVD won the Award for “Best Global Chart DVD” at the 2010 SAMA’s. It soon became the country’s fastest and highest selling music video disc in the Sony Music catalogue, replacing Celine Dion’s No. 1 chart position for Live in Las Vegas; A New Day. The soundtrack to the DVD released in October 2009 was certified Platinum

Keys, Shakira, K’Naan and John Legend, at the FIFA World Cup Kick-Off Concert performing a rendition of “Pata Pata,” a hit song originally recorded by the late Miriam Makeba. Later that summer, she was selected to take part in the 92nd birthday celebration of former South African president Nelson Mandela. Telecast live in 3D directly to Mandela, her performance of the popular Labi Siffre anti-apartheid tune and Mandela’s favourite “(Something Inside) So Strong” with the Soweto Spiritual Singers proved to be one of the most prominent performances in her career.