Every year, the singers/songwriters bring new energy, sounds, and home-grown African rhythms to the Jakes Gerwel Foundation’s Paulet House in Somerset East – 2022 is no exception. We will never forget the many goose-bump moments while the group rehearsed and performed. Make a note of these young stars, they are going places: Carlo Fortune, Keleabetswe Langa aka Kele M, Kerischne Pheiffer, Noxolo Kheswa, and Spha Dlakwe. Applause to mentors Frazer Barry and Zolani Mahola for your endless passion! Thank you to our valued partner – the Suidoosterfees. Watch out for future performances of this wonderful group organised by the festival.
From left to right: Keleabetswe Langa, Sphamandla Dlakwe, Kerischnie Pheiffer, mentor and mega-SA singing sensation Zolani Mahola, Noxolo Kheswa, Carlo Fortune, and the inimitable multi-instrumentalist/singer/songwriter/all-round performer and mentor Frazer Barry.
Carlo Fortune: “So now I am getting ready for a new time, where nothing will be the same as before. A time in which I hope the music will make you and me feel something really good and will keep us hopeful that together we can continue to bring about positive change through our shared talents.”
Mentor Frazer and mentee Spha who is dong what he came to do.
Sphamandla Dlakwe: ““I cannot wait to be in a space with other artists who have a different perspective and philosophy on life. I cannot wait to learn from them as much as I can teach them, to experiment with different styles of writing, and music genres, learn their individual processes of writing and or composing music, and I certainly cannot wait to see what we can put together as these vastly different artists to create new sounds of music.”
Frazer and his best friend.
Keleabetswe Langa aka Kele M, Kerischnie Pheiffer, mentor and mega-SA singing sensation Zolani Mahola.
Kele M: “I hope to create music that will be a soul-uplifting experience for my audience. To create music that will have a distinct sound and message that will stay with my audience for generations to come – and hopefully create life-long relationships in the music industry,” (And she is)
Entertaining the locals: Kerischnie and Spha centre-stage with the rest of the group backing, at the Pub and Grub in Somerset East.
Kerischnie: “I know I can be better than what I already am. I wanna create my best music through this programme. I want to be part of something bigger, because my thirst is growing, and this program is perfect for someone like me. I’ve never been part of something like this, so it was really just for the experience and possibilities. Being and working with the right people at the right time. And I want to learn more, extend my knowledge in my genre.” (And she is living her dream)
Sisterhood in song: Kerischnie and Zolani.
Music is their first and forever love.
Noxolo: “I have so many things that I would like to initiate in my sound that will make it unique. I personally want to create my own thing, not that it cannot be done by anyone but that it sounds new to them. With songwriting, I noticed that you could be flexible with it as long as the song is not flat.”
Spha and Carlo.
Zolani and Spha livening it up another notch at the Pub and Grub.
Sweet spring serenades: Zolani, Spha and Kerischnie.
Theo obtained his master’s degree in creative writing at Stellenbosch University. He has been involved with various projects in the arts before in his role as, among others, project manager of the Woordfees, advertising coordinator at NB Publishers, programme manager at the KKNK as well as at the Vrystaat Literature Festival and as executive director of the Breytenbach Centre in Wellington.
Theo is the author of two novels, Skool and Strafjaart.
