When the going gets tough, the tough get glowing.

Finding the energy to take on new challenges in life isn't always easy. Sometimes, the secret lies in remembering someone you admire - someone whose finer qualities helped him or her get through adversity to reach success - and borrowing a page from that person's playbook to win a victory of your own.

For the singers of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, reflecting on the life and character of Shaka Zulu, the first king of the Zulu nation, gave them a lift that inspired a new CD's worth of music and fueled a refreshed approach to the trademark harmonies that have made the singers famous far beyond their South African neighborhood.

"When your energy gets low, you must go to that well and drink from it,' Albert Mazibuko said. "We wanted to inspire ourselves, to encourage ourselves, to get more energy. Shaka is such an inspiration.

"You can achieve anything in life if you believe in yourself, so we wanted to inspire ourselves.'

Listeners can hear new songs from "Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu,' a new CD released Jan. 15 on the Heads Up International label, when Ladysmith Black Mambazo performs Tuesday evening at the Paramount Theater.

Mazibuko, who has sung with the group for 39 years, performs with founder, leader and musical director Joseph Shabalala, Msizi Shabalala, Sibongiseni Shabalala, Thamsanqa Shabalala, Thulani Shabalala, Russel Mthembu and Abednego Mazibuko.

With the new CD, "we are asking a question: Why don't we want to learn from the difficulties and use that as a stepping stone to get wherever we want to?' Mazibuko said.

"Ilembe' can be translated as "the greatest warrior,' and Mazibuko said the CD's title means "this is someone who excelled at doing things. Be the best at whatever you do.'

Reaction to the new album has been enthusiastic, especially back home in South Africa, Mazibuko said.

"It's wonderful. It's so great,' he said. "Our phones ring off the hooks, especially at home. People will have the music playing when they call. Right now, it's so new, people demand it, and they want to hear us.'

One doesn't have to understand the Zulu language to grasp the positive outlook of the CD. Ladysmith Black Mambazo admires Shaka Zulu's fighting spirit, but the singers also uncovered other qualities that they believe have resonance in today's hectic lifestyles. Shaka Zulu, who died in 1828, was a warrior and military strategist widely credited for taking the Zulu from small beginnings to influential status as a powerful nation.

Unity is an important theme linking many of the tracks, from "O Mmu Beno Mmu,' which emphasizes strength in working together, to "Prince of Peace,' which examines the common ground shared by the singers' Zulu heritage and Christian faith.

"Let's Do It,' which seems to strike a chord during presidential primary season, urges people to clean up politics to make the future brighter for future generations.

Other songs reflect on putting jealousy and personal ambition aside to work for the common good and on surrounding oneself with positive people to stay on the right track in life.

For decades now, listeners have been a vital part of the equation when it comes to staying on track. Paul Simon brought Ladysmith Black Mambazo to a wider international audience when he featured the men's harmonies on his landmark "Graceland' album, and fans just couldn't get enough of the rich vocal blend, complex rhythms, unshakable faith and irresistible upbeat energy.

Pop "Ilembe' into your CD player, and it will be hard to miss the pride in the singers' voices. Watch the singers in action on stage, working as a team and finding sheer joy in their music, and the energy's hard to resist.

"When I am on stage and perform with the people, we have a sort of connection with the audience,' Mazibuko said. "The people we sing for are really connected with the music. It's great.'

When Mazibuko began performing with the ensemble in 1969, he said, he had no idea that he and his friends would achieve worldwide success. He knew they'd entertain people, and he shared a healthy spirit of competitiveness in which the singers wanted their group to be better than others - stronger in talent, more uplifting in subject matter. But Mazibuko chuckled when he remembered a prophetic song from early in the group's career in which the musicians sang, "With this music, we are going to go all over the world.'

"I'd never dreamt of this. I'm always amazed,' Mazibuko said. "Every day when I wake up, it's like a dream.'

By Jane Dunlap Norris