Powerhouse Thandiswa Mazwai will close off the Africa Month celebrations in a live Stream Concert on Saturday, May 30th.
Brand South Africa and the Department of Arts and Culture, in association with Constitution Hill, said they are proud to present the Play Your Part Africa Live Stream Concert featuring the songstress and other African artists.
Mazwai said she is nervous to do something so social amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“But hey we still require the same bravery today as we did before corona. History is made by the brave so I’m gonna wear my mask, keep safe distances, avoid communal surfaces and wash my hands (with soap). What a crazy way of being. When the President said kissing and hugging was a thing of the past I shed a tear. The healing power of music is needed now more than ever. So as always we must push ourself to learn new modes of exchanging energy,” said the songstress.
Mazwai also stated that she was sad for the artist community, including actors, dancers, bands and all types of artists.
“Our work is about people, about a particular kind of consumption. Audiences are our bread and butter, and with venues, theatres, stages, closed, many people are left with nothing in the fridges. On the other hand, it has been really amazing for Dj’s,with Quarenrine Radio by Dnice and shows like the Lockdown Houseparty on Chanel O,” she said.
Bassline Live, who has been behind many notable gigs and festivals for the past 25 years, will be producing the free streamed concert.
“So many historic events have and continue to happen at the ConHill. This is undoubtedly one of them as the world is changed by corona, I feel honoured to be able to share positive vibrations throughout the mama land and the world.”
South Africa Board Chairperson, Thandi Tobias-Pokolo, said through the Play Your Part Africa Live Stream Concert, Brand South Africa and the Department for Sports, Arts and Culture will, through artistic activism, pay tribute to Africans united in the fight against COVID-19 and celebrate Africa’s strength in adversity.
“This is especially significant in the year South Africa is Chair of the African Union (AU) which is in line with its key objective of unifying the continent against all challenges. We are in an era that requires unprecedented levels of unity and coordinated action and this initiative provides us with the opportunity to come together, in our uniqueness, against an invisible enemy that knows no borders or nationality,” she said.
Vusimuzi Mkhize, the director-general at the Department of Arts and Culture, said it’s important for the department to continue to create and identify opportunities which can provide relief to the sector during this COVID-19 pandemic.
The performance will be streamed at 8pm at the Women’s Jail at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg. Everyone is welcome to watch for free on https://www.skyroomlive.com/playyourpartafrica.html
