English: Colbert ‘Colby’ Thilivhali Sivhada is a Contemporary Gospel Singer who was born and raised in the village of Phadzima, Venda. From a young age, “Colby” as he is fondly known, was exposed to gospel music and by the age of 10 years he

was one of the lead singers in a local church. As a teenager, Colby continued to sing regularly at church services and events, building a reputation amongst his church peers as a gifted young singer. An avid teenage soccer player, Colby was a versatile player who could play many positions. After completing Matric, Colby moved to Johannesburg to study Electrical Engineering. Colby became involved with various churches playing a central role in building their praise teams. Thereafter Colby began engaging with professional artists and he was fortunate to work regularly as a backing vocalist. In 2001 he joined a male gospel group called “Free” which toured South Africa performing at church services, weddings and concerts. The group also sang at many events and even went on to record an album. After three years the group disbanded and Colby then furthered his involvement in the music business

by learning the off-stage aspects industry, working behind the scenes, staging events and concerts.