No. 05
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EDITOR’S LETTER One of my favorite authors and poets Sonia Sanchez once said “The black artist is dangerous. Black art controls the ‘Negro’s’ reality, negates negative influences and creates positive images.” The politics about what constitutes as a black art and what doesn’t are conversations we will have some other day. This month, I want to talk about the importance of black creatives creating work but not just any work, work that speaks to their lived experiences, work that challenges narratives, stereotypes and negative representations. The kind of work that carries out a legacy of representation beyond the medium it exists. I think it is absolutely amazing that we are alive in a time where anyone can be anything they want to be because of the internet. We are all exposed to each other’s work, and connected through our creative interests. Although I think it is important that we as black creatives start thinking about the influence and impact of the kinds of representations we produce and take into account its existence as a system of thought, with connotations and ways of understanding and reception. There is also beauty in just creating, for the purposes of owning your work and bringing your thoughts into life. Whether it’s a photography project, a script, a documentary film idea, a web series idea or even an art project proposal, whatever it is, create it. And create it today; too many ideas have been lost to graveyards. And on that sad note the firth issue of IQhawe we explore the idea of artistic expression for a greater purpose. Truth Be Told is a t-shirt brand that uses creative expression through t-shirts to bring awareness about issues such as patriarchy, gender inequality, and rape. Buhlebendalo graces our cover as a performing artist whose music aims to speak to the human spiritual journey and understanding of self. We hope you enjoy the Issue. Till next month folks, Pretty Renae Mangena
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I HAWE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF PRETTY RENAE MANGENA Iqhawe Team
Designs and Illustrations Photography Brands
Features
Cover Star
IQHAWEMAGAZINE
Lethabo Motlalepule Phora Sikelelwa Vuyeleni Nomonde Precious Mbele Prudence Qwesha Luciana Malete Koketso Maluleka Nqobile Ndebele (Visualsbydaddyque) Silava June Ogana Vanessa Maluleke Truth Be Told Sive Nkukwana Phenyo (Melody) Madiba Buhlebendalo Mda
IQHAWEMAGAZINE
IQHAWEMAG@GMAIL.COM
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CONTENTS
IQHAWE ISSUE No. 05
CONTENTS
11
Creative of the month
PHENYO MELODY MADIBA
16
Brands
TRUTH BE TOLD 18 SANA ORGANICS 22 S+AVA ORANIC SKIN & HAIR CARE
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IQHAWE Plug
30 On the cover
BUHLEBENDALO MDA
38 SIVE NKUKWANA
Business meets creativity
44 ZOE MADIGA KAJAMA MSAKI THANDO NJE MPHO SEBINA
IQHAWE Presents
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CREATIVE OF THE MONTH
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SHE PLAYS WITH FIRE Since the beginning of 2019, budding visual artist Phenyo Melody Madiba has been making waves in South Africa’s creative circles. So we profile her as this issue’s creative of the month and talk all things pyrography as well as delve into her creative process.
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henyo Melody Madiba, better known as ‘Mel’, was born in October 1993, in Mafikeng and grew up in Pretoria. She now lives and works intermittently between Pretoria and Johannesburg. Having taken Design as a subject in high school, she went on to study Interior Design at The Design School of Southern Africa. It was there where she fell in love with wood and discovered pyrography – the art of drawing on wood, leather or other materials using a soldering iron. It was through this art form that Mel started creating works that seek to explore various aspects of who she is. Her career officially launched in 2019 after appearing on the Design Indaba’s Emerging Creatives list, guesting on the TV show Hashtags Africa, and winning the Blessing Ngobeni Art Prize. Mel’s instinctual creative process allows her to tap into the inner workings of her mind to conceive work that is rooted in femininity, consciousness and the full expression of oneself. She puts an emphasis on balance – the duality in human experiences – to portray an array of emotions from a black woman’s lens. Her chosen subject matter is predominantly black women at different stages of their lives. Her art envisions a world where black beauty can be fully expressed and appreciated without the need for it to be substantiated. She uses expressive fire, gold and African bronze blue markings to illustrate the natural divinity of black women, and she’s open to using pyrography in an abstract manner in the future. Mel mentions artists like Zanele Muholi, Lina Iris Viktor, Christian Scott, Tunde Adjuah and Donald Nxumalo as her influences because of their creative approaches to their respective practices. And her work has evolved through personal experiences while she still strives to improve her craft and become a reputable artist in the world.
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The 13th Letter – A Manifestation of Self “When I started pyrography in 2015, I gravitated towards images of women I saw myself in. I chose images of women who made me stop scrolling and look for a few more seconds. The feelings evoked by the images were more than a mere double-tap; I felt a connection to them that seeped into my craft. They became symbolic representations of the emotions I had within. This year, I became my own muse. I interrogated my views and convictions about my femininity, choices and the way I navigate through life as a black woman. The heart of this series was inspired by Astro-numerology and the meaning of the letter M. The letter M is significant to me for many reasons, from something as simplistic as my initials to the deeper narrative it holds within the divine feminine. The letter M signifies the 13 lunar cycles which could also be a representation of the average menstrual cycles in a year. It also symbolizes the origins of life: water - where life in its various forms is born. It speaks to the motherly nature of all things sacred. The letter M is shaped like a mountain, firm in its foundation, making a great impact and reaching new heights which I ultimately aim to do with my work.�
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CREATIVE OF THE MONTH
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BRANDS
TR UT H BE
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D
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Truth be told is a brand founded in 2017 by two fierce young ladies looking to start a brand where woman can be celebrated and supported. We know that each of us have our own story, our own fight and our own voice. We aim to unite women in their diversity. Now is the time to stand up against reoccurring injustice, new issues and support the strong women beside us. The brand address issues like patriarchy, gender equality feminist issues and rape culture. Truth Be Told uses proceeds from the shirts and use it to enrich the community. There are number of things we aim to support which include distribution of feminine hygiene products, get females who were raped the help they need give self-defense classes in areas with high rape and assault rates and support female organizations in general. IQ 05 17
BRANDS
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We chat to Vanessa Maluleka as she chronicles her skin care business venture and explains the importance of self loveself-love IQHAWE: When did you start this journey and what propelled its start? VANESSA: I started with a personal journey of self-care, self-love, and self-healing first before the business came about. And the business launched in August 2018. IQHAWE: What has this journey taught you about yourself? VANESSA: This journey has introduced me to different parts of myself. The caring and a loving part that is considerate of women’s wellness, the fact that I can push myself and set my priorities straight. Oh and boundaries, I can now set boundaries and stick to them. IQHAWE: Is there importance in the intake of organic products? If yes, what is it? VANESSA: Your skin is a living, breathing organ. So whatever you put on your skin can be absorbed into your bloodstream. So why would you put toxins on your skin when you wouldn’t put them inside your body? I always say that if you cannot recognize the ingredients on the label, then that product is not natural. So the importance of going organic is simply longer-lasting health. IQHAWE: What mark do you wish to leave with your products, if any? VANESSA: With my products, I wish for women to tap into their innate sensuality, sexuality and self-healing powers that are available through nature’s best gifts. I wish for women to reclaim or rediscover their creative energies that allow them to sail through this world with intention. IQHAWE: What advice would you give someone that wants to go into a similar business venture? VANESSA: You have to be open to connecting with women on a deeper level if you want IQ 05 20
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‘You have to be open to connecting with women on a deeper level if you want to get into this type of business venture. .’
IQHAWE: What mark do you wish to leave with your products, if any? VANESSA: With my products, I wish for women to tap into their innate sensuality, sexuality and self-healing powers that are available through nature’s best gifts. I wish for women to reclaim or rediscover their creative energies that allow them to sail through this world with intention. IQHAWE: What advice would you give someone that wants to go into a similar business venture? VANESSA: You have to be open to connecting with women on a deeper level if you want to get into this type of business venture. Women from all walks of life come to you shamelessly with private issues in need of help and restoration. You must be patient and intentional in helping them through their healing. Whether emotional or physical. IQHAWE: When did you start this journey and what propelled its start? VANESSA: I started with a personal journey of self-care, self-love, and self-healing first before the business came about. And the business launched in August 2018. IQHAWE: What has this journey taught you about yourself? VANESSA: This journey has introduced me to different parts of myself. The caring and a loving part that is considerate of women’s wellness, the fact that I can push myself and set my priorities straight. Oh and boundaries, I can now set boundaries and stick to them. IQHAWE: Is there importance in the intake of organic products? If yes, what is it? VANESSA: Your skin is a living, breathing organ. So whatever you put on your skin can be absorbed into your bloodstream. So why would you put toxins on your skin when you wouldn’t put them inside your body? I always say that if you cannot recognize the ingredients on the label, then that product is not natural. So the importance of going organic is simply longer-lasting health.
IQHAWE: Why should anyone get themselves a Sana Organics product? VANESSA: Sana Organics not only provides solutions for your skin but our main products are natural and organic herbs, which help with your entire apothecary, and herbal needs. For those that want to go alternative with their lifestyle and health. IQHAWE: What challenges have you faced in making this possible? VANESSA: The biggest challenge has been getting out there and being known, and then realizing and getting to know my target market. IQHAWE: What has starting a business as a black woman shown you about the society we live in? VANESSA: Starting this type of business as a black woman has shown me that black women do support and look out for each other. My biggest support and cheerleaders, my biggest network and agents are women. We still have a long way in getting support from the government in different industries, but the women on the ground are recognizing the efforts. IQ 05 23
BRANDS
S+AVA ORGANIC SKIN & HAIR CARE IQ 05 24
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Silava June Ogana chats to us about her brand. We also delve into the ins and outs of business and how she plans to expand into the international market IQHAWE: When did you start your business and what propelled its start? SILAVA: I struggled for years, finding the right products for my skin & hair. I then started making homemade products for myself as a teenager to combat my skin and hair problems. I have always made products for close friends and relatives, but I decided to test some products with my colleagues. The feedback was great, and they advised me that they would be willing to purchase my products if they were available in the store. I started S+AVA informally in March 2018. I wanted to test if there was a demand for my products. I made samples and set up a business Instagram page (@sava_organics). After a few months of positive feedback, I decided to formalize my business and officially launched it in June 2018 with an online store. We are now stocked in 8 retailers in Johannesburg and Pretoria and have an online platform for our UK customers.
IQHAWE: What has the entrepreneurship journey taught you about yourself? SILAVA: FEARLESSNESS. I learned that I can achieve anything I put my mind to, with a lot of practice of course. And patience – if one truly believes in their product, and if it can fulfill a gap in the market, then your business is likely to grow, even if it’s at a slower pace. Patience is key. One cannot plant a seed today and expect to harvest fruit tomorrow.
IQHAWE: What mark do you wish to leave with your business, if any? SILAVA: To be the go-to organic skin & hair care company for women and men from all walks of life. S+AVA is also looking to be a top exporter with regards to organic products. In 2019, we are looking to break into the USA, European, Asian & Australian markets. IQ 05 26
IQHAWE: What advice would you give someone that wants to go into a similar business venture? SILAVA: Just start with the tools you have. There is no perfect business, and the most successful businesses to date started with no capital, but just a brilliant idea and those willing to take a risk to carry it through to fruition. In the beginning, it is difficult to achieve a “perfect” product. Do your best, and with time, one can slowly improve on their craft or products, as their business grows.
IQHAWE: What challenges have you faced while building the business? SILAVA: Consumer trust was one of our biggest challenges. The products we stock are new to the market, so we had to put a lot of resources in educating, marketing and convincing potential customers to test and purchase our products. From a production point of view, it was difficult to find suppliers who were willing to supply S+AVA with small scale orders that allow for a start-up’s cost-lean budget.
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Silava’s top 5 healthy skins care tips
1. FACE MIST Use a face mist throughout the day, especially during winters. The dry winter air causes the skin to produce excessive sebum as the skin is dehydrated. This, in turn, causes skin blockages, which result in acne.
TONING MIST
2. CLEANSE ONCE A DAY Refrain from cleansing your face in the morning if you can help it. At night, the body and skin work to rejuvenate and heal the body. If one washes their face in the morning, they wash away all the natural “good stuff” TONING and healing oils the skin MIST produces specifically to repair and heal the skin.
AFRICAN SOAP CLEANSER
3. DOUBLE CLEANSE Double Cleanse: Use an oil-based cleanser or natural Oil such as Coconut Oil as the first stage of your cleansing regime. Oils actually attract the natural oils the skin naturally produces and locks them in their particles. Use a cotton pad to wipe off the oil and follow with your normal cleanser. Oils are also fab for removing makeup. 4. THE 60 SECOND RULE LA Beautologist Nayamka Roberts-Smith advises that one should cleanse the skin for the optimum time of one minute. This TONING MISTingredients in the cleanser allows the active to soften the skin and dissolve sebum blockages. I have tried this and can attest that it is working for me, and the great thing is that one doesn’t have to purchase any new products.
AFRICAN SOAP CLEANSER
5. GO ORGANIC “If you cannot eat it, don’t put it on your skin” The average female is exposed to approx. 1200 chemicals daily as a result of using synthetic products. Using organic products mitigates the absorption of toxins through the skin. It is important to note that the skin is your biggest organ and absorbs 60-70% of what it is exposed to. It is therefore equally important to screen what one puts on their skin as what they choose to consume for daily nutrition.
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COVER
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ON HER OWN WAVE
Singer Buhlebendalo Mda has been a journey to selfdiscovery since 2015. Part of that journey has seen her go through spiritual initiation and sojourn from The Soil to pursue a solo career. She sat down with Pretty Renae Mangena to discuss music, spirituality and self-awareness. Photographs by Nqobile Ndebele aka Visualsbydaddyque
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IQHAWE: As a songwriter, what is the mental process in writing a song? BUHLE: With every creation as an artist or as a creator, whenever you create you go through a mental trip. You zone out with your existence. You are taken into spaces where there is stillness and you are completely bare and naked. In creating a song, a dance routine or an art piece you have to tap into that realm so that you open up those channels as the kids of today say ‘woke’. IQHAWE: How has the journey into your solo career been? BUHLE: The journey started a long time ago, about three or four years ago when I was in the initiation, where I felt that there is a bigger role than I needed to play. For women in general, for my ancestors, my child, for every female in my realm. I felt that I was yanked out of my comfort zone into this journey to exercise my individualism, my positioning in society. My role as a king, my role as a mother and as a leader. IQHAWE: What were the challenges and difficulties of this journey? BUHLE: The journey hasn’t been all rosy because when you come from a band you will always be tagged as “Ubuhle from the Soil”. It gets frustrating where you want to be recognized as an individual. The biggest challenge in my solo career as a woman is that you tend to be compared to other female artists, whereas you just want to try and exercise yourself and explore your gift. I did not know that it was this difficult working with a band, you have to mother adults. I am still juggling and still trying to get used to this new life that has been introduced to me. I am taking the punches as they come because that is also part of the journey. The journey has been beautiful; people are receiving me very well, I am happy to be doing me, because for the longest of time I’ve been suppressing my fire, dimming my light. Now it’s time where I open all doors for whatever energies that needs to be spread out, energies that need to be received for me to create the music. IQ 05 34
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‘The biggest
challenge in my solo career as a woman is that you tend to be compared to other female artists, whereas you just want to try and exercise yourself and explore your gift.’
IQHAWE: We think that your music is quite spiritual and can transcend as just a song, but it exists parts that are the incorporation of spirituality and intentional. Tell us about that? BUHLE: My music is very intentional, it is provoking, my music is haunting, it is awakening, whichever spirits we thought we have killed as a black nation, my music is enlightening all the dark spaces that we kept dark as a black nation. It is soul moving, so blatant, so rough. I remember going through my fans’ comments online and one read – “My designer shirt still smells of ‘imphepho’, that is exactly what I want. I want to remind the nation of who we are because day in and day out we are losing ourselves to the western norms. The only way to take back what is ours is to go back to our roots, to be proud of who we are, and be unapologetic about it. I am also trying to portray a beautiful image of “ ubungoma”. We are portrayed to be dirty, there is this image that as a sangoma we live in a dark hole and only smell of ‘umuthi’. IQHAWE: What are your thoughts on the music industry specifically on the afro soul genre as a female artist? BUHLE: Women are taking charge slowly but surely. We are trying to break the misconception of women not being able to work together. I strictly have a female band, my media crew/ team is strictly female, my manager is female but this does not mean that we hate men. We are just simply empowering one another. IQAHWE: Top places you would like to perform at? BUHLE: Afropunk, irrespective of where. I want to perform at the bushfire festival. I want to spread my music in all African stages. One thing I like about festivals is that you come across people from all parts of the world, whereas my music is about Africans for Africans. IQ 05 39
BUSINESS MEETS CREATIVITY
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A BLACK ROSE Sive Nkukwana Founder & Director of Blackrose Factory
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ive Nkukwana is the embodiment of the South African dream. Born in the small village of Tsomo, Eastern Cape, she grabbed every opportunity to see herself pursue her passion in television by completing her studies in Journalism at the Nelson Mandela Municipality University, majoring in TV Practice and Broadcasting. 2010 saw her join the multifaith magazine show Spirit Sundae on SABC 1, in the initial capacity of a Production Assistant, but soon grew to Insert Director and Producer, under the guidance a n d l e a d e rs h i p of the show’s Executive Producer Shaffee Shaik. When the show came to an end, she was recruited to conceptualize and pitch its religious replacement show, iDentity, which mowed her creativity and content creation competences. Her a c c o m p l i s h e d te l ev i s i o n credits then grew from there, with programs such as SABC 2’s Growing Tomorrow, eTV’s daily live youth offering Craze and the SAFTA winning live daily talk show Real Talk with Anele where she also served as Producer. In no time she was scooped up by SABC 3’s Trending SA making her a sought after Talk Show
Producer. After one season of producing Trending SA, she was poached by Urban Brew Studio to launch the channel’s latenight talk show WTF Tumi as its Series Producer, which was recommissioned for a second season under her brilliance.
Sive believes that knowledge has limited value unless it is shared, that resulted in her establishing a knowledge transfer network called Behind the Scenes with Black Rose where aspirant TV Producers and Content Creators can b e ex p ose d to d i f fe re n t skills and expertise from the industry’s more decorated peers. With the growth in the content space and the shift caused by the digital era, it was important for Sive to harness talented TV makers to prepare them for where the medium is going. In 2018, she
resigned from Urban Brew and Black Rose Factory was then born; a multiplatform creative content solutions boutique company started by Sive. The company specializes in TV productions, Branded C o n te n t , a n d S t ra te g i c content development as well as content curation. The TV Production division concentrates on developing new formats in all genres of television programming ranging from documentaries, long-form series, and Corporate Events T V. I t s p o r t f o l i o a l so of fe rs c re a t i ve content solutions from conception to scriptwriting, storyboarding and post-production. The team of experienced Content Producers, Video Editors, Content Writers, VFX and Motion Graphic Designers, Videographers, and Digital Producers, offer unique, out-ofthe-box creative proficiency to develop and produce quality, digitally-integrated content for multi-media platforms. Sive’s mission and ethos, which has been adopted into her multiplatform company, is to produce world-class crafted content that reflects the true nature of the African identity and to contribute to and participate in the growth of the African media landscape. IQ 05 41
IQHAWE PLUG
HOW TO GET YOURSELF ON THE STAGE Written by Motlalepule Lethabo Phora
As a performer or an artist there comes a point in your life where you will feel like you are ready to be out there; take it to the stage. Maybe you’re a songwriter looking to transition from open mics to longer shows. Maybe you’re an old pro who’s coming back from a long break and you’re not sure how booking gigs works these days. 1. You only get one chance to have a debut performance so make sure that you wait until you are ready. 2. Make a demo, more like a recording of your best song or a YouTube video of you performing (presumably in your basement or garage, since you haven’t played live yet) is the best way to show a booker what you can offer 3. Have any friends in bands that need an opening act? Do you already know any venue owners or booking agents? Obviously, whenever possible you want to call upon your existing network within the local music community to make this process easier. 4. So you don’t have any connections to help you take a short-cut to your first gig. Then it’s time to do some legwork. Go check out the venues in town that you’d like to play at. Maybe start with smaller clubs, bars, and restaurants. Go visit them. Get a drink. See some music. Talk to the bartender. Ask if the booker is around. Make some conversation and get a sense of what they’re looking for from the musicians they hire. Make mental notes. 5. Once you’re back home, get on the IQ 05 42
computer and visit the website for each of those venues. Read their booking guidelines. Does it still seem like a good fit for your music? Can you deliver what they’re asking for? (For instance: a minimum of 25 attendees, a threehour set, bringing your own PA, etc.) If so, make note of the booking email address or use their online form to book yourself that gig. 6. Write a brief email asking if you can play in their space. Again, keep it BRIEF. If it’s too long, you’re pretty much guaranteed to be ignored (since these folks probably get dozens or hundreds of emails a day).
THE RIGHT THINGS TO DO, TO BOOK YOURSELF THAT VENUE 1. The first step of the booking process is always research. Most venues prefer to work with professional artists, and the best way to prove your professionalism is to show that you care enough to take the time to do some basic research. Especially with venues, there are so
many variables. Some venues may cater to a certain genre, others tend to serve a target demographic like college students or working professionals, and many have age restrictions you need to consider. An easy way to get this information would be to check out the venue’s website. If they have live music, they’ll probably have a page listing some upcoming or past acts. Now the real question is, do you fit in? With that in mind, the best way to get a feel for the venue is to go there. Go to some gigs. Get a feel for the vibe and the demographics. Get to know some of the staff. If you’re not involved in your local music scene as a fan, you’re going to have a hard time getting involved as a musician. 2. Create a spreadsheet for yourself with information on local venues that you have researched. HERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WOULD BE USEFUL TO INCLUDE:
about all the musicians and bands you know in your area. Where do they play? If you’re interested in playing at any of those venues, get in touch and suggest a collaboration. Pitch your band as the opening act for example or do a collaborative 50/50 set split. When dealing with more local-level venues, the bands often have more liberty to organize their opening act, so they can be your ticket to getting your foot in the door. 4. Make a Promotion Plan. At this point, you’re going to be doing most of the promotion yourself, so tell them how you will promote the show. One, you can set up a Facebook event, put up some fliers, and share some social posts and emails promoting the gig, that alone being the most basic level. Come up with some incentive to get fans to buy tickets early (as opposed to at the door). Maybe you can give your fans two tickets for the price of one to anyone who buys the tickets early. 5. Follow Up and Be Professional. The process
-Venue name -Website -Email -Phone number -The name of the booker -Venue size, address -A short description of the type of music and audience they cater to 3. Make a Connection. Personal connections are everything in the music business. And I’m not just talking about your connections with booking agents and venues. Your connections with other local bands could be your biggest asset when it comes to booking gigs or breaking into new music scenes or larger venues. As an artist, you have to think IQ 05 43
doesn’t end after you get the gig. If you want to connect with the local audience, you need to play at the venues regularly. So introduce yourself to the venue’s booker and staff and remember to keep in touch. HERE IS A LIST OF THE TOP LOCAL VENUES TO VISIT: · The Market Theatre · The Good Luck Bar · Carfax · Bassline Building · Kitchener›s Carvery Bar -The · Republic of 94 · Fox Junction + Good Luck Bar Venues
SUGGESTED AGENCY Entertainment-Online.co.za is always looking. Artists, celebrities, new quality acts, and management are all welcome. Become one of our Agents: Full name, contact information, a short description of who you, and overview of related experience. Become one of our featured artists, celebrities, quality acts: Pictures (2 high resolution), profile (at least 309 words), any supporting media such as YouTube, and if you any references and a rates card. This information or related questions can be sent directly to requests@entertainmentonline.co.za Hopefully, you’ll be able to use these tips to book bigger and better gigs for yourself both in your local music scene and beyond. Remember, the most important element in booking great gigs is planning. IQ 05 44
IQHAWE PRESENTS TOP FEMALE ARTISTS TO BE ON YOUR PLAYLIST Written by Motlalepule Lethabo Phora
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1 IQHAWE PRESENTS
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ZOE MODIGA
Zoe Modiga who is a well- rounded jazz musician, has a great voice, a great composer. What sets her apart is her approach to jazz. Download her album; yellow the novel.
2 The Joburg based sister duo, KAJAMA consists of Nandi and Nongoma Ndlovu. Their music is a blend of electronic music with sprinkles of East Coast hip-hop.
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MSAKI
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Eastern cape- born musician Msaki’s music is a blend of jazz and folk. Her voice is midway between a falsetto and alto which Is great for your ears. Add Sondela by Msaki ft Tresor to your playlist.
THANDO NJE
4 Pretoria’s Thando Nje, what she sets her apart from R&B singers of the today is that she hardly ever uses autotune on her vocals. Listen to ‘TrustNje’.
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Mpho Sebina is a singer songwriter born in 1989 in the small village of Mochudi in Botswana. Growing up in a family of music lovers she grew up on the sounds of, Sade, UB40, Boom Shaka , Brenda Fassie and Mariah Carey ,to name a few, all of whom influenced her musical journey, in writing and singing.
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SEBINA
MPHO
THANK YOU IQhawe Magazine’s main focus is representation, creating representation, commenting on representation as well as capturing its creating and means of execution. We do this through content creation in the form of visuals and text. Our purpose as a magazine is to unravel and define what is the aesthetic of a contemporary modern-day black creative, yet at the same time making commentary into the multi-layered facets of the young black people of our era. The magazine also functions to profile young people working in the creative industry by featuring their work to merge the gap between them and their intended audience