Mozambique: 'Those Radio Days' hit the stage again, today in Maputo
Youtube / Lizha James
Eight Southern African female musicians are representing the region in this year’s Kora All-Africa Awards, set to be held in Windhoek, Namibia, on March 20.
In anticipation of the Kora All-Africa Awards which are set to be held in Windhoek, Namibia, on March 20, The Southern Times has compiled a brief background of the regional musicians participating.
Pah Chihera (Zimbabwe)
Born on March 16, 1991, Pah Chihera has always had a passion for music.
She started off as a backing vocalist for her uncle Kudakwashe Prince Musarurwa who is the front man of Afro Royal Chamberlains Band when she was a teenager.
Although her melodious voice was first appreciated at the age of five years, Pah Chihera’s musical career was cemented in 2014 when she released her debut album, ‘Runonzi Rudo’.
The title track of the album put the 24-yearold singer in the limelight.
Since then, her music has been appreciated and enabled her to tour countries like United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, South Africa, Malawi and Botswana for live show.
Busiswa Gqulu (South Africa)
She is a poet and has a strong background for visual arts.
Busiswa Gqulu, famously known as Kalawa Chikita, has been doing poetry since 2004 where she performed at corporate events, small poetry sessions, campus talent shows, festivals and hosted her own monthly poetry event at the Bat Centre in Durban called the 1st Word Sessions.
During the same period, she met a friend who introduced her DJ Clap (in Uhuru now) and Sir Bubzin.
The latter asked her to do poetry on house beats and eventually she recorded a hit song ‘My Name Is’. The song gave a platform for fame.
Since then, she has been releasing hit songs consecutively.
Presently, she is signed under Kalawa Jazmee/Universal Records in Johannesburg.
Elize Detlinger (Namibia)
Elize Dentlinger is a country and gospel singer songwriter. The Namibian singer started singing at the Rehoboth Show since high school years and at the ever first Independence Celebrations held at Rehoboth, her hometown.
She has shared the stage with artists like the late Brenda Fassie, Rebecca Malope in South Africa, Louis Britz at TBN Namibia’s year end concert in Swakopmund, Clemens Mans, Cathy Viljoen and Walter Brown gospel artist from South Africa.
Lizha James (Mozambique)
Elisa Lisete James Humbane, popularly known as Lizha James, is one of the biggest musicians in Lusophone Africa.
Born in the capital of Mozambique, Maputo, her music style includes a mixture of rhythms like Marrabenta, Reggae, R and B and hip-hop. She is also famous for the Mozambican style Dzukuta Pandza.
Her music career started blooming when she launched her first album ‘Watching You’.
One of her songs, ‘4 Yah All’ was awarded the Channel O Music Video Award for Best Female Video.
In 2007 and 2008 her songs: “Nuna wa Mina” and “Nita Mukuma Kwini” won Channel O best video in the category R and B, and Afro Music Channel Grammy; and Channel O best female video respectively.
The following year, she was awarded the Best Artist of Southern Africa for the song “Estilo xakhale”.
Moneoa (South Africa)
Moneoa Moshesh is a 26-year old dancer by profession; but she followed her heart to singing, after her family and friends made her realise that her voice glides across chords as swiftly as her feet through a detailed choreography.
Bruna Tatiana (Angola)
Born in Lobito, Angola, in 1978, Bruna would spend a lot of time attempting to sound like Whitney Houston, Sade, Madonna and many more female divas of the 80s and early 90s until she developed her own style.
She started being a backing vocalist for her father who was a part-time musician in 1996 and later established a nine-piece band.
Her first album, “My zouk side”, won an award for best new female artist at the Angola awards.
She won the Channel O reel music video awards in 2003 and won the Best Ballard in the Angolan music award.
In 2004, she won best female award at the Angolan music awards and has been touring around Africa promoting her album.
Erna Chimu (Namibia)
Namibia’s 2014 Namibia Music Awards (NAMA) Female Artist of the Year Erna told The Southern Times that the nominations came to her as a surprise especially that she heard it through a third party. She is up for Best Traditional: Southern Africa
“There are many things that I was going through at once, it was a very big surprise. I felt mixed feelings.
“I was excited, nervous. I wasn’t there when it was announced, I was called by people to tell me,” said Erna.
Erna claimed that Namibia’s hosting of the prestigious Kora Awards was good for the country as it would provide local artists with an opportunity to expose their music to artists from different countries.
“It will be a great opportunity for us to interact and work with people from other countries,” she said.
Sally Ephraim Keya a.k.a Boss Madam (Namibia)
Sally is Namibia’s Afro fusion bombshell. With numerous awards under her belt, she is one of the few Namibian electrifying stage performers and has two successful albums.
She burst onto the local music scene with her first album “Courage”. But it was her hit song, “Boss Madam”, that set her from the rest of the pack. T
he 2014 song even has Namibian men referring to her as “Boss Madam”. She is nominated for Best Urban with Kukutika – the fifth track on her second album, Mukwanekamba.
Erna Chimu (Namibia)
Namibia’s 2014 Namibia Music Awards (NAMA) Female Artist of the Year Erna told The Southern Times that the nominations came to her as a surprise especially that she heard it through a third party. She is up for Best Traditional: Southern Africa
“There are many things that I was going through at once, it was a very big surprise. I felt mixed feelings.
I was excited, nervous. I wasn’t there when it was announced, I was called by people to tell me,” said Erna.
Erna claimed that Namibia’s hosting of the prestigious Kora Awards was good for the country as it would provide local artists with an opportunity to expose their music to artists from different countries.
“It will be a great opportunity for us to interact and work with people from other countries,” she said.
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