The South African State Theatre has announced that Mzansi’s revered musicians: Zonke, Thandiswa Mazwai, Caiphus Semenya, Samthing Soweto and Ringo Madlingozi will headline the 12th Annual Mzansi Fela Festival, which will run from 01 to 22 December 2019 at the biggest theatre complex in Africa, the State Theatre!

Like in the past, Mzansi Fela’s programme this year will also kickstart by first observing World Aids Day on 01 December. KWANELE, a new production commissioned by the Department of Arts and Culture in reaction to the wake of xenophobic attacks and gender-based violence will also open on the day.

The festival will be preceded by the continuation of campaigns of 16 Days of Theatre Activism Against Gender Based Violence which would have started on 24 November, ending on 10 December.

Having been curated in 2017’s edition with his partner Letta Mbulu during their 50th wedding anniversary, legendary jazz maestro Caiphus Semenya’s feature in this year’s Mzansi Fela is solely a tribute presentation to celebrate his 80 years birthday.

He turned 80 in August. As a token of recognition, the State Theatre will be honouring his iconic contribution to the country’s Arts industry whilst he is still alive. His concert is December 8th.

The event threw the torch to audiences this year, polling them on which local acts do they desperately want to see this year.

Singer and songwriter Zonke Dikana, known simply as Zonke, who is billed to launch the festival on 01 December, received an overwhelming demand from fans – So did Thandiswa Mazwai, who is also backed by insatiable popular demand for her performance on 13 December.

Zonke’s 2018 album LOVE recently went platinum. “Thank you to each and everyone of you for supporting me! My album has gone Platinum,” she announced on her Facebook account on Friday, 11 October 2019.

Samthing Soweto heads to this installation with his trending debut album Isiphithiphithi, which he released in September. He became the first local musician to simultaneously top Apple Music’s album and singles charts with his hit Akulaleki and new album. On 22 December he will share a stage with the multiplatinum selling Ringo.

Other notable concerts (not produced by SAST) that will be taking place during Mzansi Fela include: Simphiwe Dana Symphony Experience on 07 December, and Hillsong from 09 to 13 December.

Under the Mzansi Fela banner, there is the Community Arts Dramaturgy  Outreach (CADO) Programme, which is the legacy project of the festival.

Its emphasis is on the development of undiscovered talent rooted in communities, especially remote from the arts hubs.

Each year, SAST’s Education Youth Children Theatre (EYCT) department branches out to communities in provinces including Limpopo, Northwest, Mpumalanga, Kwa-Zulu-Natal and Gauteng municipalities to source community theatre groups to feature in CADO.

However, there is an exciting twist in this year’s programme. The best group will be awarded a season in the theatre’s 2020 Main Programme. CADO will run from 01 to13 December.

Since its inception in 2007, Mzansi Fela Festival has become one of the most anticipated festivals of the year in the Tshwane Metropolitan and Gauteng province, if not the country at large. The festival presents the most exciting feast of music, theatre, dance, comedy and poetry in South Africa.

An occasion that started as a five-day event, has now developed to attract more than 10 000 people annually. It is popular for offering Mzansi’s premium talent, giving platform to the grinding up-and-comings while acknowledging artistic powerhouses that have paved the way.

Mzansi Fela Festival Programme Guide

Zonke| 01 December| 15:00|R300-R500

CADO| 01-13 December| Various times| R30

Kwanele| 01 – 15 December| Various times |R100-R150

Simphiwe Dana Symphony Experience| 07 December| 20:00| R500-R1000

Caiphus Semenya| 08 December |15:00|R250-R400

Hillsong| 09- 13 December| Various times| R50

Thandiswa Mazwai| 13 December | 20:00| R200-R350

Samthing Soweto and Ringo Madlingozi| 22 December|15:00|R200-R300

16 Days of Theatre Activism Against Gender Based Violence| 24 November- 10 December| Various Times|Free-R100

Tickets are obtainable at Webtickets- available online and over the counter at Pick n Pay outlets nationwide.

Shane Eagle on Wednesday liberated his second studio album, the much anticipated Black Moon FLWR.

The project comes hot on the heels of his 2018 EP, the critically lauded Never Grow Up, which garnered the rapper stunning reviews in the QuenchSA music department. It’s also the first sibling to Yellow, Eagle’s SAMA award winning debut album.

The sophomore piece decks a cohesive set of 23 new toons, a new catalogue that triples the number of tracks on an average album these days.

ALBUM REVIEW: NEVER GROW UP – SHANE EAGLE 

He’s certainly defying more than Kanye West’s 7-joint commandment, choosing to bolster his splendid discography with enough new work to complete the new era.

First availed for pre-orders shortly after the rapper unveiled the tracklist earlier this month, the album features guest appearances by the likes of Nasty C, Lute, The Hics, Celaborate, J-Tek, PatricKxxLee, theMIND, Santi, Bas, as well as Kota The Friend.

The line-up of lesser known acts, who’s prominence in the international, alternative and underground scenes, further drives home Eagle’s notoriety for shunning mainstream trappings of contemporary Hip Hop, instead choosing to carefully craft his own musical universe.

It’s a universe in which he is free to tackle a vast constellation of subjects and themes, including dystopian and complex relations with religiosity, outgrowing the soundscape and everything in between.

The sophomore project has already spawned two singles. Last week, Eagle released PARIS, his collaborative entry with Nasty C. The album’s leading promotional single, BLACK, emerged a few weeks before then.

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Boiler Room and  Ballantine’s Scotch whisky once again touches down in South Africa’s ‘Mother City’ to close off a three-city True Music tour of the Rainbow Nations cultural hubs.

Promising to Take A Stand For True Music, the project is part of Ballantine’s commitment to push True Music scenes forward and support artists, fans, crews and communities around the world, by spotlighting the home-grown talent redefining their local scenes.

On  Wednesday, 23th October Boiler Room x Ballantine’s True Music will link up with local partystarters Crayons,who’ve been lighting up the local scene with their seminal Roots & Fruits parties, as well as many community initiatives, to take things in a different direction.

Hosted by Xzavier Zulu this event will entirely focus on new, up-and-coming talent: the future stars of CPT who will be given a platform to show the world exactly why they’re the names on everyone’s lips. The tours closing event will also recognise the DJs, promoters and engineers who have pushed True Music forward.

From the machine-gun flows of hotly-tipped rapper Dee Koala, to the contemporary R ‘n B sounds of Boskasie, (featured on Cassper Nyovest single ‘Move for me’), through to groundbreaking newcomer Khanyo, there will be a string of live performances to blow the roof off.

Alongside that, the DJ sets will comprise of Gqom production duo Surreal Sessions (who have produced for the likes of FAKA), Cape Town rap mainstay Kay Faith, and Alvhinator (founder of legendary night Uppercut.). Not to mention the special guests that will make an appearance throughout the night.