Thando (musician)

Thandolwethu Emily Nomvula Sikwila, known mononymously as Thando and since 2022 as Thndo, is a Zimbabwean Australian singer, songwriter and actor based in Melbourne, Victoria.^[2][3] She's most notable for her appearances on The Voice Australia. She was a contestant on season three, but was eliminated in the sing-offs. She later returned in season eleven and made it to the finals. She also portrayed Effie White in Australia's first professional production of Dreamgirls, presented by StageArt.^[4][5][6] In 2024, Thando played Joanne in the Australian production of Rent.^[7]

Thando Sikwila
Background information
Birth name	Thandolwethu Emily Nomvula Sikwila
Born	Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Origin	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres	R&B soul[1]
Occupations	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals piano
Years active	2012–present

Early life

Thando was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on 9 April 1993 to parents Nokuthula and Victor Sikwila. Thando is bilingual being able to speak Ndebele.

Career

The Voice Australia 2014

She auditioned for the third season of The Voice Australia with the song Mercy at the age of twenty and chose Kylie Minogue as her coach. She was eliminated in the sing-offs.^[8]

The Voice performances and results (2014)
Episode	Song	Original Artist	Result
Audition	"Mercy"	Duffy	Through to The Battles
The Battles	"Clown" (vs Candice Skjonnemand)	Emeli Sandé	Lost. Saved by Ricky. Through to the Showdowns
Showdowns	"Sex on Fire"	Kings of Leon	Through to the Sing-Off
Sing-Off	"Mercy"	Duffy	Eliminated

The Voice Australia 2022

She auditioned for The Voice Australia again in 2022, for its eleventh season. She turned all four chairs in her blind audition due to her amazing, powerful and soulful voice,^[9] and chose Keith Urban as her coach. She made it to the Grand Finale and ended up placing second, with Lachie Gill taking the $100 000 prize.

The Voice performances and results (2022)
Episode	Song	Original Artist	Result
Audition	"I'm Every Woman"	Chaka Khan	Through to The Callbacks
The Callbacks	"I'm Every Woman" (vs Ethan Conway)	Chaka Khan	Through to Battles
Battles	"Beggin'" (vs Shaun Wessell)	The Four Seasons	Through to the Sing-Offs
Sing-Offs	"Chandelier (song)"	Sia	Saved by Coach. Through to Semi Final
Semi Final	"POV"	Ariana Grande	Saved by Coach. Through to Grand Final
Grand Final	"Rise Up"	Andra Day	Finalist
	"Oh My God" (with Keith Urban)	Adele

Discography

Extended plays

List of extended plays, with selected details

Title	Details
Bury The Weapon	Released: December 2013[citation needed] Label: Format:
Remix the Weapons	Released: November 2014[citation needed] Label: Format:
Digital Love Letters	Released: June 2016[citation needed] Label: Format:
Life In Colour	Released: 27 August 2021 Label: Independent Format: Digital

Singles

Title	Year
"Inferno"[citation needed]	2013
"Won't You Be Mine"[citation needed]	2014
"Trouble"[citation needed]	2016
"Something"[citation needed]
"Numb" (featuring Remi)[10]	2018
“Journey To The Past” (with Greg Gould)	2021
"Fall"[citation needed]	2022
"Along the Way"	2023

Guest or featured artist

• "Brainless" - Sinks feat. Thando (single, 2017, independent)
• "The Antidote" - Sinks feat. Dyl Thomas, Mol One, Thando (single, 2017, independent)
• "My People" - Remi feat. Thando (single, 2018, House of Beige)
• "All That I Got" - Royalty Noise feat. Thando (single, 2018, independent)