“Nomvula” is a very chill, very catchy Xhosa song by up-and-coming singer Nathi – he’s been called “a breath of fresh acoustic air” – in a gorgeous video shot around his home province of the Eastern Cape. The song is from his debut album, “Buyelekhaya”, and has already been viewed over 300,000 times on YouTube in less […]

The already well-known three-year-old DJ Arch Junior has won the ‘South Africa’s Got Talent’ competition, and picked up a half a million rand in prize money in the process. The tiny DJ, Oratilwe Hlongwane from Alexandra, Johannesburg, who was clearly a favourite with the judges even in the semifinals, was one of six acts who reached the final, […]

A video of Sihle the Drummer (his surname is not given on Facebook) playing drums on an assortment of stand-in objects was first posted on his Facebook page in August and was viewed at least 410,000 times. That seems to have gotten him a real set, which he now plays in a new video. Watch Sihle’s first […]

President Jacob Zuma has congratulated South African hip hop artist Cassper Nyovest on being the first local musician to fill the 20,000 seating capacity Dome in Northgate, Johannesburg, without the assistance of any international act. The SA entertainer – who produces, raps and writes – performed to a full capacity Dome arena over the weekend, fulfilling his dream – […]

Within a week of Adele launching her comeback single (watch below) – Hello – after a three year break, it rocketed to number one around the world, was heralded as the song of the century,  become the fastest selling single in the UK in 2015, attracted over 114 million views on YouTube (!) and triggered an avalanche of cover […]

The ‘South Africa’s Got Talent’ audience was on its feet Sunday night when DJ Arch Junior, all of three years old, took to a digital music deck and handled the jog wheels and transport controls like a pro. Oratilwe Hlongwane from Alexandra township has reached the semifinals of the show’s national competition. He’s the youngest person to have ever been on the […]

Charlie Simpson, the British singer who busted up his band Busted, is in the news for rejoining the band, but it’s his collaboration with a group of San Bushmen that has got us tapping our feet to the unforgettable beat. It’s great! The song ‘Walking with the San’ was played last week on the show ‘Singing in […]

If you’re overseas and missing your fellow South Africans on Heritage Day, check out this live video feed that’ll transport you to the Heritage Voëlvry Festival in Stellenbosch! The broadcast has been provided by Scatzy, which supplies a Video on Demand service to expats around the world. To view earlier footage, click here. Entertainers have included Gereformeerde […]

A fab picture of American rocker Steven Tyler during his trip to South Africa in December 2014 has been posted by the V&A Waterfront today. Some lucky fans (or children of fans!) posed for a photo with him at the Louis Vuitton store at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. The Aerosmith frontman – with […]

It was confirmed today that legendary singer and songwriter Rodriguez will be returning to South Africa early next year. This time he will be performing in Johannesburg and Cape Town again, as well as in Durban and Port Elizabeth. His last tour to the country was sold out within minutes of bookings being opened…so if you’re keen for […]

Check out the compilation (above or below) of photos and video of Johnny Clegg performing at two recent concerts…including footage where he’s joined on stage by his old Juluka partner Sipho Mchunu. Earlier this month Clegg reminisced about the old Juluka days when “our music was banned or restricted on national radio, as well as shows being […]

Freshlyground’s new music video showcases a kaleidoscope of South African faces and scenes (yes, there’s a braai) that will have you feeling emotional without quite knowing why. As images are flashed on screen, they tug at the heartstrings with faces that show the struggle, the pain, the pride, the play, the passion, the love…the people. […]

You might remember him as the frontman of the band Fokoffpolisie and later Van Coke Kartel. Now Francois Van Coke is going solo, with his first 12-song album just released and titled after the singer himself. The first video, released on April 7 on YouTube – a lyrical ballad Toe Vind ek Jou which he sings […]

“Bits of songs and broken drums Are all he could recall, So he spoke to me In a bastard tongue Carried on the silence of the guns.”* Johnny Clegg is a multi-faceted character. He is often given the tagline “musician, academic, activist, icon, White Zulu”. This is not enough to fully illustrate his impact and […]

During the summer months, South Africans gather every Sunday at sunset in Cape Town’s Kirstenbosch National Botanic Garden. The iconic gardens set the scene for performances by much loved local and international musicians. Food, friends, family and famous flora are all on the bill. The series of concerts promote local talent and provide a platform within […]

On the 28th of December 2014 mist like smoke rolled over Table Mountain. A human rainbow formed on the lawns facing the stage. The prospect of rain did not dampen the crowd’s spirit; instead, braais were ignited, South African flags were distributed and laughter was shared. Members of Hot Water and other contributing artists occupied […]

On the 31st of December 2014 Kirstenbosch was alight with anticipation.The stage was bathed in reds, ambers, purples and blues as the sky changed from blue, to purple, to amber, to red. The air was sweet and the scent of mist lingered. The year was coming to an end, but Mango Groove and Arno Carstens […]

After touring the USA extensively, The Parlotones graced South African crowds with a performance at the iconic Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden on the 11th January 2015. They shook things up with a colourful show that had the crowd singing louder than lead singer Kahn Morbee. The band’s tattooed arms, “make-upped” faces and graffitied musical instruments […]

On the 8th of February 2015 Freshlyground got into the Cape Town vibe as they danced barefoot across the stage. They like to keep things fresh with their refreshing humour and extravagant, yet authentic, performances. With songs ranging from Love to Mugabe, the variety of their music and talent is as diverse as the flora […]

If you’re South African and of a certain age, chances are you’ll be familiar with the Silver Creek Mountain Band. Text & Pictures by Chris Marais The Creek is South Africa’s longest-surviving bluegrass band. Forty years ago, they were a live music force to be reckoned with. Two fiddlers, banjo, lead guitar and a big old […]

Johnny Clegg, Ross Learmonth, Yvonne Chaka Chaka and a host of other South African artists will gather together in July to remember musician Bongani Masuku who was tragically killed in an attempted car-jacking incident in Johannesburg last month. The concert will raise funds for his family, as well as awareness for Artists against Violence. It […]

In the week that Jack Parow’s latest album Nag van die Lang Pette is released, debuting at Number 1 on iTunes South Africa – he took some time out to speak to SAPeople… Jack Parow was born Jack Zander Tyler and grew up in Parow in the Western Cape. One night he was drunk, watching Pirates […]

“Searching for Sugar Man”, about two South Africans who set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, is picking up awards and new fans for 1970s rock ‘n roller Rodriguez all over the world. The title of the documentary takes its inspiration from one of the tracks off Rodriguez’ Cold Fact album, […]