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...
A love song for our strange and wonderful country: My Mzansi Heart
My Mzansi Heart sweeps the reader along two equally entertaining narrative strands, one set in the present day, the other in the past, which together form the story of King Adz’s life. The book explores music, culture, food, urban youth culture in South Africa based on King Adz’s life. His writing style is rather gripping, engaging and conversational. Represents chats to him about his latest book. Firstly, I’d like to say congrats on such a relevant, easy yet engaging read and it’s also visually appealing, your advertising and creative background comes out in how the book is layed- out, was that a conscious decision to structure the book like this? Thanks. I had always wanted to write a graphic novel and this was my chance. I had been working on the idea of this book for many years, ever since leaving South Africa to work in New York, and everything fell into place when Jacana published by youth advertising book THE STUFF YOU CAN’T BOTTLE, which lead to a conversation about MY MZANSI HEART. I had many “AHA” moments while reading the book because you talk about things i can identify with while you’re telling your own story. Tell us more about My Mzansi heart? MMH is a piece of my soul distilled onto the page. I have never written anything so personal (it is my 5th book) or so artistic. My previous books were about advertising and street/youth culture but MMH is something else. I wanted to re-define what my work was really about, and this reflects how amazing South Africa is as a country that this book was born out of it. How was the writing process? I write everyday and by now I have the discipline to be able to sit there and work without having to go out and ‘enjoy’ myself, lol. I wrote two books last year as well as travelling and working as a brand consultant across Africa. The two seem to go hand in hand! One was MMH and the other was my next book about how brands have to behave if they want people to like them – so chalk and cheese. How long did it take you to finish the writing the whole book? The concept took a decade. From start to finish. But actually sat at my iMac actually typing and designing it took a year. What triggered the idea to write My Mzansi heart? Reading ‘My Traitors Heart’ by Rian Malan was the beginning of it all. I don’t want to give away too much as you need to read the book, but reading Rian’s amazing book got...
Half of A Yellow Sun premiers at the Durban Film Festival
For 10 days from 17 – 27 July Durban is transformed into a celluloid jungle, teeming with film screenings at 9 wild venues around the city. You will find a menagerie of movie species – some rare and endangered, some easy to spot, some dangerous, some playful – and at the heart of this subtropical forest of film lies the new industry hub at the Elangeni Hotel. Directed by: Biyi Bandele Nigeria, United Kingdom 2013 106 min The highly anticipated film adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel of the same name is set against the difficulties of post-independence Nigeria and follows the fates of twins Olanna and Kainene. Educated in the West, the privileged sisters return to a Nigeria that is impatient to shake off all colonial influence. But an act of betrayal fractures the sisters’ relationship, a fracture that is soon mirrored by the outbreak of a bloody civil war. A timely film for a country once again facing dangerous religious divisions, Half of a Yellow Sun is a powerful portrayal of suffering on both a personal and national scale. For more information check out http://bit.ly/1mbBAQi...
MILLER BOOMTOWN Local Line-Up Announced
Johannesburg, South Africa – Miller Genuine Draft today announced the local headline line-up for the upcoming three-city Miller BOOMTOWN tour featuring international rapper Kendrick Lamar. Not one to rest on his laurels, 2013 Best Male SAMA winner and music sensation Khuli Chana is poised to extend his reign into 2014 when he provides headline support for Kendrick Lamar on the Joburg, Durban and Cape Town legs of the tour. Alongside him, hip-hop hit maker and crowd favourite Reason will also feature as the main live supporting act on the tour. Fans can also look forward to an explosive collaborative spectacular hiphop showdown, a crowd favourite at Miller Boomtown in Jo’burg earlier this year and now back on the Miller BOOMTOWN main stage. Dream Team’s Refiloe Ramogase and his team have been commissioned to deliver the multi-layered, show-stopping experience. Trusted sound selector and producer DJ Dimplez will be on hand to keep the expected energy levels at a high while Channel O’s SK will play host and MC. Watch this space as additional performers and DJs from each city to be included on this dazzling line-up will be announced in January 2014. Miller Boomtown media partners include Channel O together with regional radio partners YFM, Gagasi and Good Hope. The tour kicks off at The Wave House in Durban on Friday, 7th February 2014 before moving to Johannesburg Stadium on the 8th February and the Belville Velodrome in Cape Town on Sunday the 9th Feb. Ticket available at Computicket, range from R350-R650 and will be open to fans over the age of 18. The Miller Boomtown presents Kendrick Lamar South African tour dates will be as follows: Friday 7th February The Wave House, Gateway Durban Saturday 8th February Johannesburg Stadium, Johannesburg Sunday 9th February Bellville Velodrome, Cape Town Miller BOOMTOWN featuring Kendrick Lamar is hosted by local promoters Airey...
The Sir Walrus Band LIVE.
The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music is proud to present, a Durban based Fusion/ Jazz-Rock ensemble The Sir Walrus Band on Wednesday 31 July 2013 at 18:00 Sir Walrus Band is a groove-based, electric four-piece instrumental outfit. They are easily one of South Africa’s most exciting young bands and are known for writing catchy fusion pieces as well as re-arranges covers. The Sir Walrus Band prides itself on having an unusual musical balance that has seen the band perform the same set in front of Rock, Blues, Jazz and even Heavy-Metal audiences and has remained tasteful to them all. Guitarist Sebastian Goldswain, sax player Jonathan Judge, effortless drummer Bryan Stone (aka Zamani), and much respected bassist Ildo Nandja are top young musicians in the country at their respective instruments. Catch them live at The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music (CJPM), Level 2, Shepstone Building at UKZN Howard College Campus at 18:00 Wednesday 31 July 2013. Doors open at 17:30 Entry fee is R35 (Pensioners R20 and students R10). Please contact Thuli on 031 260 3385 or email Zamat1@ukzn.ac.za for more...
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