Goldfish lead Singer Sakhile Moleshe Performs in The Soul Housing Project.

Soul Housing Project are doing their first gig of the summer season at the Rooftop bar at the Grand Daddy hotel on Friday 28 September. For these of you still trying to wrap your heads around who the Soul Housing project are, think Goldfish’s lead singer Sakhile Moleshe.

We met up with Sakhile Moleshe performing at Tagore’s Jazz Bar in Observatory, Cape Town, in his group called the Soul Housing Project founded by himself and Bokani Dyer.

Famously known for his contribution as lead singer to the band, Goldfish, Moleshe is a singer, songwriter, poet, composer and pro­ducer. He hails from Alice, a small town in the Eastern Cape. He did his high school studies at St. Andrews College in Grahamstown.

Moleshe moved to Cape Town where he obtained a Bachelor of Music Degree at the University of Cape Town(UCT) in 2008. He was a singer in a band called Gravity before meeting Dave Poole and Dominic Peters from Goldfish, South Africa’s most famous music acts of the moment. Moleshe started pre-recording with Goldfish in 2007 and later developed well-known and interna­tionally recognized hit tracks namely, We come Together, We Cruising Through as well as Fort Knox and Humbug.

His latest ventures includes, The Soul Housing Project that is a young, vibrant group based in Cape Town, South Africa.

Band members include:

Sakhile Moleshe-Vocals

 Bokani Dyer-Keyboards

 Gino "Mr Grooves" Ackerman-Bass

 Kissangwa Mbouta JR-Drums

 Al Dirt-Guitar

The group can be described as having a seamless mix of sounds with elements of hip-hop, deep-house, soul and jazz. Since its founding, the project has performed in venues around Cape Town and has built up a sizable following of People who en­joy the experience. Moleshe is the lead singer in the group. He also writes and composes the songs. They have recorded a 17 track album that is set to be released this year.

Q&A with SAKHILE MOLESHE

Sakhile Moleshe Performing at Tagores Bar, Observatory

Lead Singer in Goldfish

What inspires you?

Love inspires me.

Which famous musicians do you admire?

There are too many but to mention a few, Frank McComb, Jazzonva…

What was your first gig and where?

National Youth Jazz Festival, Grahamstown.

What are your fondest moments?

Being inside music.

What is your most treasured possession?

My pipe.

What is your typical Saturday night out?

Having a drink with friends and meeting new people.

What is your typical Sunday morning?

Cooking and having friends over.

How do you escape the hustle bustle?

I like the hustle bustle.

What are five things you cannot live without?

Music, friendly smiles, good hygiene, food and water.

What five artists/ songs are on your recently played list?

Little Dragon, Erykah Badu , Robert Glasper, Art Blakey Jazz, Art Tatum.

If you could open up for any artist on tour right now, who would it be?

Snoop Dogg.

What advice would you give to aspiring SA musicians?

Be true to yourself.

Where do you see yourself in ten years from now?

Still performing and living a healthy lifestyle.

Soul Housing Project

Its Heart 104.9FM Spring Dip time!

Benedikt Sebastian(Singer/Actor) and Sekoati Tsubane( Actor 7 de Laan)

Siv Ngesi does comedy with the surf coach team

Racing for the Dip in the ocean

Community welcomes new season- Spring

That's how we roll- with a bunny! go Team !

Team with Benedikt Sebastian

Benedikt Sebastian before the dip

Garvin Meiring from Heart 104.9FM takes a surf dip

BENEDIKT SEBASTIAN

Hottie of the day!

Well-known model and actor Benedikt Sebastian has released his debut CD after months of recording sessions in Cape Town under the guiding hand of legendary music producer Gabi le Roux.

Gabi le Roux - a name we heard before

The Album ,Jy Weet Ek Weet contains 12 songs and two remixes. Innocence and elegance are flawlessly combined with a good balance of deep themes, but not so philosophical as to alienate people. 

Every song tells a story, in its own way. The music is not genre-specific; on the contrary, the idea was to not be easily pigeonholed.

Benedikt (30) is a patriot at heart. You don’t have to be Afrikaans to value the language-related issues addressed on the album, with songs such as “Los Uit My Taal!” proving that protest doesn’t necessarily exclude pleasure.

Benedikt has a visual communications background. He is constantly toying with different aspects of creativity, from writing poetry to short stories, graphic design and drawing – with awards to show for his endeavours! With famous poet Engemi Ferreira as his mother, the literary blood flows thick in his veins.

And now he is a singer. He took to the stage for the first time in 2007 and since then has been honing his talent – and songs – to the point where he is now ready to put it out there.

As for what he hopes to achieve with his music, Benedikt says: “In various stages of my life music has had a big effect on me. Sometimes carrying me through an intense depro phase, for example after a break-up, or just to get me geared up for something – but at different levels it has helped me to get to know myself better, and to grow. If I can have a positive effect on someone’s life, that will make me happy!”

The personal nature of the songs on Jy Weet Ek Weet stems from his having co-written them; there are parts of him in there and you can hear the truth. A range of influences are also evident in the diverse themes of songs such as “En Ons Dans”, “Donker Engel” and “Vlieg”. And each and every song has an approach you won’t recently have heard around every corner.

Gabi le Roux, with whom the singer followed a very collaborative approach, is extremely excited about the project: “Afrikanership is warm and sexy, but our music is often still stuck in the rut of the old-fashioned „sokkie‟ approach … We bring modern dance beats to the table, with sharp lyrics that will linger in your mind.  We’re Afrikaans international!”

Gabi was responsible for the biggest crossover hit ever in South African music with “Nkalakatha”, Mandoza’s signature song. Add to that many an award and a prolific body of work with most of the major names in the local industry, and you have a producer who knows how to coax the very best out of an important new singer.

Benedikt says: “Each song consists of a combination of different factors and I would not have been able to release any one of them if it didn’t contain a very definite part of me.” Listeners will quickly realise they are not simply hearing a few songs; there’s a real person in there.

Vagabond. Intellectual. Modern. Bloody sexy and attractive. Energetic. Passionate. Benedikt Sebastian is all that, as well as a singer with a unique sound and approach. Here at last we again have a songwriter-singer who likes to think and for that reason has something to say. This much originality deserved to be heard, and for a long time to come.

Now have a listen yourself! The Album is in stores this Month!

Watch Benedikt Sebastian perform Live on Expresso SABC 3

http://www.benediktsebastian.com/

These are the Slovaz Chronicles

Slovaz! Who is Slovaz? New album! where and when!!!!!!

Bloggers note:

Well let me tell you this now, I used to watch Yizo Yizo back in the days, a series on SABC 1. Set in a township, It was rough and terrifying encompassing themes of  rape, murder, prostitution, abuse and  HIV/AIDS but never the less popular amongst South Africa’s youth – well my generation anyway hehehe….

Today I have had the pleasure of meeting one of Yizo Yizo’s characters, Slovaz ( the gangster in the gritty drama series with a tattoo on his six-pack)- well except this time he is not a gangster but a humble family man and  qualified engineer.


 Check out Slovaz's Music Video, "Ubuntu" below. Love it!

The Slovaz Chronicles

Slovaz, aka Khaya ‘Kicky’ Khumalo is a well known actor, singer and songwriter. He is launching his latest CD album, “The Slovaz Chronicals :Ubuntu Bami" produced by the legendary Gabi le Roux. He also collaborated with well - known songstress Lindiwe Suttle on this album.

Ok guys take 5 now and think back to Mandoza’s super award winning hit Nkalakatha!  Yes that golden track! Well that’s Gabi le Roux from Kaleidosound.

Slovaz was actually born Steven Kicky Khayelihle Khumalo in the infamous township of KwaMashu in Durban. The name Slovaz emanated from the character in the television series “Yizo Yizo 3”, namely Ria's thugged-out goon with a tattoo on his six-pack

Whilst he has kept part of his past identity, notably still showing the tattoo of his name carved across his midriff, Slovaz is passionate about his faith, being a born-again Christian that worships at Rhema Bible Church in Randburg, Johannesburg.

Slovaz’s return to music marks the end of a sabbatical that also included recuperation from an accidental gunshot that narrowly and miraculously missed his heart.

Slovaz says, he feels like his life has a meaning now that his dreams are being realized. He says that it’s such a fulfilling experience to see them taking shape.

Q &A with Slovaz

Who were your musical heroes when you were growing up?

Luther Vandross, Michael Jackson, Roberta Falck, Tupac, Dr DRE just to mention a few.

Creatively they were on point and their music is timeless, as well was always top notch and very relevant. These are qualities that I am constantly trying to improve about myself. 

How would you describe your approach to the current album?

With the current album the approach was entirely different, I had to let go of everything I thought I knew. I never thought I could do it. The album is diverse and it encompasses different genres in one project. It was time to do something new and different from my usual township rap tunes, it was time to grow and allow for input from other highly creative people like Gabi Le Roux. it is time to also reveal my singing skills.

What do you think the message of the album is?

I think that each song touches on issues relevant to now. Ubuntu Bami  is music with a message.This is me Slovaz the son, the brother, the husband, the colleague and most of all Slovaz the father who wants to nurture the youth. This is the legacy I want to leave for the youth of South Africa.’

How did the gunshot incident influence your life?

 I value my life more; I am not made out of steel. Death is not a far off thing, especially when ones lives a reckless lifestyle.

What's in store for 2012?

The Slovaz Chronicles: Ubuntu Bami. 

I think my fans will love and support the album. I believe that through my music i can make a difference in people's lives in 2012

It is my deepest wish to touch people’s hearts with the beauty of my GOD given gift, to share my thoughts and emotions creatively through song, it has always been my wish from ever since I could remember, and there is so much more I want to share.

http://www.facebook.com/slovaz.music

Wish list

Arctic Monkeys

Going through my old music folders a few days ago, I came across my all time favourites, Arctic Monkeys. The thought of them just makes me want to fly up to the heavens. That’s the best natural high feeling that I haven’t felt in years.

Let me tell you that these boys helped me through my last two years of Fine Arts school.  I don’t know what it is about them that just makes me feel like I have been through a whish wash in my brains.

I can imagine myself in that LIVE crowd, my eyes closed and my body swinging relentlessly side to side as the music plays, the voices heard, those drums….these drums in my rhythmic swing and that guitar that just takes me back in time…

-sings-

 Do the bad thing,

Take of your wedding rings,

But it won’t make it… that much easier

It might make it worse!

Wow! I love you Arctic Monkeys. If I had to see them LIVE, that would make my LIFE!

Favourite tracks

·         Teddy Picker

·         D is for Dangerous

·         Balaclava

·         Fluorescent Adolescent

·         Only Ones who know

·         Do Me a Favour

·         This House is a Circus

·         If you were there, Beware

·         Cigarette Smoke

·         Leave before the Lights come on

·         Do the bad Thing

Listen here….

Put yourself in someone else’s shoes

Answer: empathetic. (from empathy): the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_words_that_mean_putting_yourself_in_someone_else's_shoes

“to allow oneself to see or experience something from someone else's point of view. Put yourself in someone else's place, and see how it feels. I put myself in Tom's shoes and realized that I would have made exactly the same choice.”

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/put+oneself+in+else's+shoes

People behave differently in life. Scholars of sociology, psychology and anthropology may look at the origins of behaviour to try and understand why behaviour behave the way they do.  I look at people and  see different backgrounds and cultures, shared belief systems, norms, values, religions and the list goes on .

There is bound to be some conflict when these groups of people coalesce. Examples are all over the world, just look at the news.

When you put yourself in someone else’s shoes, you make an effort to see things from their perspective. This entails consideration and understanding. If we look for example at racial statements and commentary in South Africa, they always seem to go back to the roots of apartheid and era of discrimination. The relationship between the perpetrator and victims. Who is the real victim. Aren’t we all victims in a way. who the real perpetrator is.  Is it the politicians? the government? The country’s citizens or the artists?

People are so quick to make judgement and place blame on other people. But if you see it from their perspective, you become the other.

We all probably just need to take a stand and reflect on the issues that surround us. We need to listen and learn to be patient with one another. We need to learn from each. We living in a global diverse world. We cannot escape or ignore the other.

Zooming back in

Bloggers note:

Due to popular demand from my many fans that cant figure out a way to follow the blog,  Zooming in on life is back! So much has happened- that i have been dying to share with the world- since my last blog Friday 16 September 2012. The only problem is that i just couldn't get to posting it all; i didn't have the time to do it. Time is still limited  today.

I went though Rocking the daisies to managing a whole resort( by myself) to being a Publicist at an awesome and super cool PR and marketing firm

This is me now rebelling against the constraints of time and life.