Velile Mchunu (born 1973 in South Africa, also known as Velile) is a South African singer and musical actress. She became famous especially by her starring role in the musical The Lion King and the World Cup song Helele. Velile grew up in a township in the South African city of Durban and attended acting school "Committed Artist Academy" in Johannesburg. In 1999, she met up with Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson on the occasion of Nelson Mandela's birthday.