South African singer Lebo Mathosa was killed in a car accident early Monday morning, police officials announced.

Authorities said the singer died instantly after her driver lost control of their vehicle on a highway near Johannesburg shortly after midnight Sunday. The car overturned and crashed into a tree.

Lebo Mathosa was one of South Africa's most popular performers. She's seen here in April 2005 at a Johannesburg concert launching MTV base, the music network's first pan-African music channel.
(Bruno Vincent/Getty)

Police continued their investigation of the scene Monday morning.

Mathosa, 29, was one of the country's best-known kwaito stars, making her name performing the fusion genre, which combines traditional rhythms with hip hop and dance music styles.

Though she got her start in the mid-1990s as the lead singer for the hit group Boom Shaka, Mathosa successfully launched a solo career in 2000. Her solo debut Dream became a hit, as did her most recent album, 2004's chart-topper Drama Queen.

She was also nominated for a Music of Black Origin (Mobo) Award last month in the category of best African act.

The singer and dancer, who was known for her high energy concert performances, also had a career as an actress on local television shows.