Cutting Cake with Moonchild Sanelly
The moon is an intriguing body. Its shape evolves throughout the month, its gravity pulls on our waters, and it shines the light that stirs love and romance. It’s captivating, and on some nights, has a slightly spooky edge. The same, and more, could be said about Moonchild Sanelly. Despite being told by Idols judges Randall Abrahams and Mara Louw that she wasn’t anything special, Moonchild Sanelly has waxed into a ghetto funk artist bristling with life and authenticity. Her enigmatic sound is the result of a lifelong self-education in Hip Hop, Kwaito, Jazz, Funk and Dance music. A graduate of the ‘University of Authenticity’, as many call the Durban music scene, her music possesses a soulful individuality that speaks of the drumming circles and spoken poetry performances that marked her time there. Moonchild is uninterested in packaging herself into a ‘marketable’ product, as prescribed by any number of industry experts. And her current success as an independent, unsigned artist has shown that this is in fact not necessary. “I don’t want anyone to put a weave on me, and I don’t need to make an English track to gain acceptance from my audience,” she says. For now, both Moonchild and her current PR representatives are very excited about her prospects for collaboration as an independent artist. “There are so many people that I would love to work with and I now have the choice to reach out to them. Record labels often gag creative collaboration based on the argument that the collaboration ‘doesn’t make sense’ or ‘isn’t right’,” she explains. “How can that be true if I am inspired by someone and I believe that we could create something cool together?” The choice to remain true to herself as an artist, and to not as a brand, has resulted in a diverse body of work that resonates with a wide audience. The truly remarkable quality of Moonchild Sanelly is the fact that she proudly and authentically lives the new, vibrant and relevant African aesthetic. This new aesthetic recognises what has come before, and is an afropunk movement rich in cultural innovation. She’s therefore part of the Renaissance that’s redefining what African looks, sounds and feels like. “When I was studying fashion design, I refused to use traditional prints. I don’t have to do that, or any other obvious thing to be African. Anything that stems from me is naturally African. I don’t need to return to the past to claim my identity. I’d rather evolve from it into an original direction,” says Moonchild. “This is something that respected musicians...
SoulProviders Takes A Sho’t Left with Mi Casa to The North West
SA’s most euphoric musical trio Mi Casa has been touring across the country with SA Tourism to discover and celebrate the exciting destinations and activities that their home sweet home has to offer. Accompanied by media and celebrities, they have already visited eight provinces and will conclude their travels this week with a sho’t left to Sun City and the Pilanesberg in the North West Province. “Through this project we hope to inspire South African to have their own #My1stShotLeft”, says J Something from Mi Casa. “We also have to realise that tourism puts food on people’s tables’, adds Mo-T. “When people travel, job opportunities are created, from the local tourist guide that takes you to the local chesa nyama to the guy that straps you in before you jump off the Soweto Towers. These experiences are not reserved for the rich and famous – they’re accessible to every South African’, Dr Duda concludes. Mi Casa is famously known for fusing elements fo jazz, house and pop to produce music that sends a groove through people of all ages. The band recently released their double disc album Home Sweet Home. The album features somes of SA’s hottest acts, such as Big Nuz and DJ Tira, and includes the hit collaboration with Euphonik Don’t Wanna Be Your Friend. The trip promises to be an entertaining one of car solitaire, chilling on the ‘beach’ at the Valley of the Waves, games drives, cable car trips, elephants, monkeys, luxury and a cocktail performance by the band. Follow the SoulProviders social media spaces on Facebook and Twitter to join in on the fun. Stuart Hendricks (managing editor & sneakily talented photographer) and I (writer & professionally excited fan) will join the band on the last leg of their tour to document the holiday vibes and get you amped about travelling in SA. ...
POPArt Centre celebrates 5 years of tangy, razor-sharp theatre
POPArt Theatre & Performing Arts Centre celebrated their 5th year in existence this weekend with another instalment of 24 Hours in The City. At 6pm on Friday evening, six writers randomly drew a different genre and began writing six short scripts. After a speed dating session of sorts between writers, directors and actors, the pieces were cast and rehearsals started on Saturday morning, continuing until 6pm that evening. The end products were a scintillating adventure in dreams, heartache, nostalgia, decadence, laughter and insanity. Split personalities born from repressed and unfulfilled dreams comfort, and compete for first place in the mind of the main character in A Blemished Mind. In Queens of Yeoville two very different women try very hard to resurrect long-shattered dreams by reminiscing and resenting. Velvet Curtain, a fabulously kitsch soap opera parody featuring Baker Street (UK) as theme song, had the audience in stitches with closeted lesbian lovers, dangerous liaisons, amnesia and attempted murder. Sound and light effects used in the paranormal noir Leila proved that a stage production can raise the hair on your neck as well as any mystery thriller on screen. Madness flowered onstage in Who is Michaelangelo?. The audience looks into a flat where a pair of lovers has deteriorated into delusion, isolated irreality and hurtful derision. Concluding the evening, Fat Cat – The Musical thrilled the audience with brilliantly exaggerated characters and absurdist metaphors for addiction. Clever, sharp tragicomedy that sidles up to the audience with an ominous sexiness. Founders Hayleigh Evans and Orly Shapiro have created one of the most edgy cultural spaces in Johannesburg. From the small, poster-clad entranceway that also houses the bar, to the dark performance space where you sit within reach of the acts, POPArt is brimming with all the raw and gritty shimmer of the underground art scene. If that’s something you thought only existed in Paris, London, New York or Berlin, think again – you can find it here at POPArt. For upcoming shows and events go to https://popartcentre.co.za/ or follow them on: Facebook: P.O.P. Art Twitter: @POPArtJHB...
The SA Fashion Week SS16 Collections – Part 6: Athleisure, Edge & Glamour
The common problem with fashion writing is that we either overlook the most brilliantly conceived and painstakingly produced elements of a collection – or we ramble on, praising, criticising, fainting and gasping to a point where it’s no longer clear whether we’re talking about coats, shoes or an obscure branch of 19th Century philosophy. So we set ourselves this challenge for the SAFW SS16 Collections: reveal the essence of each collection – in less than 50 words. AfrikanSwiss SS16 A hardcore collection with lots of denim, stiffened leather and heavy zipping. Harsh paint splash detail, black ‘oil streaks’, exaggerated patchwork and rough dye patterns on overalls and jumpsuit-styles come together to create blue-collar chic. Esnoko SS16 Relatively plain and conventional arrangements are cut from fabric printed with kaleidoscope patterns. Old school lines and newspaper boy caps contribute to the fanciful mood of the collection and remind of carnivals and colourful townships. Touch of Bling (ToVch) SS16 Looks from 80s New York street-style (think Beastie Boys) gradually merge into sleeker, classical cuts with African hints. Sharp, cool and very much for the night. D.O.P.E. SS16 The perfect streetwear collection for residents who live in cities where temperatures skyrocket in summer. It’s nonchalant, unconcerned and breezy. The racquetball prints on pale colours are fun and pretty without being childish, and the cuts comprise the best of shapely athletic...
Tomorrowland UNITE Opens 5 New Stargates
The dream-makers of Tomorrowland have opened 5 new portals to throw the biggest party in the universe. Sixteen years ago, the Concorde Millennium flights bent space and time with the edgiest New Year’s Eve party idea ever – board a flight in Paris at 00:15 on the 1st of January 2000, fly across the Atlantic at twice the speed of sound, and land in New York at 21:53 on the 31st of December 1991. Like Concorde, the Tomorrowland Festival has been offering partygoers a unique experience that transcends boundaries, and this year they too will bend and meld time and space with an expanded Tomorrowland UNITE. On the 23rd of July, a satellite connection will livestream the Festival in Belgium to Colombia, Mexico, Germany, Israel, India, Japan and South Africa. The Love, Unity, Madness and Magic of the Tomorrowland main stage will be beamed from De Schorre across three continents and several time zones. Live local DJ sets will also be streamed between the different UNITE sites and the main event in De Schorre. The connection will go live at 20:30 CET, when the Colombians are finishing lunch, and terminate at 00:00 CET when dawn breaks in Japan. The mythic and miraculous Mirror to Tomorrowland will ‘hang’ at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg. The full international and local line-up as well as ticket sale details will be announced on Monday, the 16th of May. Take a sneak peek into the Mirror at http://www.tomorrowland.com/en/unite if you need any more convincing that this will be one of the most spectacular, mythic, music dream-experiences that the world has ever...
Africa Day concert returns to Bassline Jozi.
Africa’s biggest celebration of cultural heritage returns to Newtown on May 28th, with a star-studded celebration that will see some of the continents biggest acts take to the stage to celebrate diversity through unity. Africa Day marks the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (now known as the African Union) back in May 1963. The organisations objectives were to promote unity between African nations and provide a support mechanism for liberation movements of colonized African nations. Today, Africa Day serves as a day to celebrate our heritage, despite our differences, and showcase the continents history and culture through arts. This is the 12th year that Bassline in Newtown has been the backbone of this celebration and this year sees a line up that far surpasses any of the previous concerts, with a strong focus on female empowerment. One of Africa Days main funders is The National Lottery Commission (NLC). The NLC relies on funding from the proceeds of the National Lottery. The Lotteries Act guides the way in which NLC funding may be allocated. The intention of the NLC is to make a difference in the lives of all South Africans, especially those more vulnerable and to improve the sustainability of the beneficiary organizations. Available funds are distributed to registered and qualifying non-profit organizations in the fields of charities, arts, culture and national heritage; and sports and recreation. By placing its emphasis on areas of greatest need and potential, the NLC contributes to South Africa’s development. We are proud to announce the return of our major broadcast sponsor, SABC2, with a live broadcast of the concert from 20.30-23.00 on the 28th may 2016. “SABC2 has in recent years adopted 6 pillars which include World Exposure and our association with the annual Africa Day concert proves our commitment to reaching out to not only South Africans but the continent as a whole”, says SABC2 Channel Head Gerhard Pretorius. Kaya FM is supporting this initiative wholeheartedly. “For her to thrive once again, Africa needs her women to stand firm as women, and her song to keep playing for her children to sing along”, says Kaya FM MD Greg Maloka, “Kaya FM is pleased to be associated with the Africa Day celebrations showcasing the continent’s rich and diverse talent.” From the Department of Arts and Culture’s perspective the official theme for the event is 2016 Africa Month Celebration – “We Are Africa – Opening the doors to learning and culture from Cape To Cairo. ”The inaugural Africa Month celebration took place in 2015 and is back with a bang in 2016. Africa Month celebration is aimed to highlight Africa Day as...
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