Johannesburg-born siblings Biko, Manna, and Mfundo are Biko’s Manna, a family band who recently auditioned for the 19th series of America’s Got Talent, having been invited to perform on the show following some high-profile social media performances. They charmed the audience and the judges with a simple, sweet rendition of Bobby McFerrin’s 1988 reggae classic, ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy,’ bringing sweet harmonies, a breezy delivery, and stunning vocals to their version of the iconic track.
In fact, from the outset it was obvious that the trio’s performance was going to be of extremely high quality, with lead singer and oldest sibling Biko prompting cheers with her effortless improvised vocal introduction, while middle sibling Manna’s pretty guitar playing and gorgeous harmonies added both style and substance to the ebullient cover. The siblings’ song choice also seemed to go down well, with Simon Cowell exclaiming “oh I love this song!” as soon as he recognized it.
We can’t forget youngest sibling Mfundo either, whose cute spoken word interjections of “don’t worry, be happy” no doubt endeared the group to the crowd even more, with one audience member whispering to her friend “they better get four yeses” when the trio had finished. A standing ovation from the entire room followed, as did those four inevitable yeses; “I think there’s a good chance that you’re gonna walk out of here with a million dollars,” declared Howie Mandel, “I’m so excited you’re here.”
If by now you’re thinking that Biko’s Manna look a little familiar, you may well recognize them from one of their hugely popular social media videos mentioned earlier. Perhaps the most popular of these is their cover of The Bee Gees’ ‘How Deep Is Your Love’, which went viral in 2023. Combining Biko’s incredible vocal acrobatics, Manna’s unbelievable harmonies and soothing guitar, and Mfundo’s adorable dancing, the trio drew in viewers from all over the world with their raw, unbridled talent.
Given Biko’s Manna’s unfeigned passion for the music they perform and the overt talent they share, it’s likely that few people would be surprised if Howie Mandel’s predictions came true and that this trio went on to win America’s Got Talent and the million-dollar prize. For now, we’ll just have to wait and see, and of course look forward to seeing what further performances these talented siblings have in store for us later in the competition.
If you would like to hear more from Biko’s Manna, you can subscribe to their YouTube Channel or follow them on Facebook for more incredible music.