16:30 - 17:30
Sean Rafferty presents a selection of music and guests from the arts world.
   SIMPHIWE DANA (South Africa) The one love movement  The past year has been a great one for South Africa's brightest new singing star, and this nomination must seem like icing on the cake. Having released a long-delayed second album, cleaned up at the SAMAS (South African Music Awards) and made a storming UK debut at London's ICA, Simphiwe Dana seems invincible. With her strong penchant for jazz, a soulful, wavering voice and proud political stance, it's hardly surprising this elegant young singer and song writer is often compared to her compatriot Miriam Makeba. But she's biding her time on that score: 'I feel it's really unfair on her, because she has achieved a lot. I just need more time to stretch my wings even more, and then maybe later in life, I might deserve that accolade. But so far I feel it's a bit premature' she told me in May, 2007. Growing up in rural Transkei, Dana began singing ceremonial circumcision and wedding songs to herself during solitary walks to fetch water. She also soaked up influences from local artists such as Madosini and Amampondo, who she heard on the radio, and the gospel singing in her local Zion church. All of this and more can be heard on her two albums to date Zandisile (2004) and The One Love Movement On Bantu Biko Street (2007) although neither quite prepares you for the peerless poise and charisma and the raw power of her voice onstage. It makes sense, then, that the live arena is where she first made her mark; after studying IT and graphic design in Port Elizabeth, she moved to Johannesburg, where her appearances at open-mike sessions started her on the path that eventually led to her first recordings. She credits her mother who sang to heal the pain of life under apartheid as her biggest inspiration, so a little explanation of her Xhosa lyrics is in order: 'I sing about finding yourself, accepting yourself so you can change yourself for the better, loving yourself. I sing this especially to the African, to the young one, because we can only start there in our quest to save this beautiful continent.' Jon Lusk www.myspace.com/simphiwedanaofficial CD Review on BBC Music Read other people's comments then  Tell us what you think:Disco (South African In Netherlands) Odirilwe currently Netherlands [email protected] | | |
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Listen to 'Bantu Biko Street'
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