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Showing posts with label South Africa. Show all posts

Multi-Platinum Vocalist LIRA Releases Her 5-Track EP On iTunes

Written By: MIM!—Sony Music Africa recording artist LIRA is following in the footsteps of the legendary Miriam Makeba and Letta Mbulu, releasing four platinum selling albums making her the current highest selling artist in South Africa. Today, the Afro-Soul vocalist makes her entrance into the U.S with the release of a 5-track EP on iTunes to give her fans a preview of the debut American Album Feel Good which is slated to be released in January 2012. Get your copy of LIRA's EP starting today on iTunes.

(Photo Credits: CD Cover Art)

Update: "Life Above All" The Trailer

Written By: MIM!—Below, watch the international trailer for Life Above All, which as we recently blogged, is in theaters now.

LIFE, ABOVE ALL - international trailer from Dreamer Joint Venture on Vimeo.

Critically Acclaimed South African Film "Life Above All" Is In Theaters Now

Written By: MIM!—We are thrilled to see compelling high caliber movies about the African continent, such as Desert Flower and Viva Riva!, to name a few, being distributed internationally in independent theaters. This month, award winning South African film Life Above All is in theaters Stateside. Below is a synopsis ...

Written By: MIM!—Beautiful power couple Kimora Lee Simmons and Djimon Hounsou were spotted in the front row (seated next to next to Africa Fashion International's Dr. Precious Moloi-Motsepe) at Cape Town Fashion Week's Lisp, Nucleus and Lalesso Front Row Social. Look out for the next issue of MIMI, where we will have full coverage of all of Cape Town Fashion Week's fabulosity!

(Photo Credits: © Simon Deiner / SDR Photo)

South African Singer Lira Will Embark On A US Tour Starting On July 24th In Philadelphia

Written By: MIM!—Lira is touring the United States this summer with performances in Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, Annapolis, and Washington, DC ... starting on July 24th. To get dates when Lira will be coming to a city near you, visit her official website www.misslira.co.za. And if you want to get a sneak peak at Lira's phenomenal live performances, watch the video below which features excerpts from a 2-hour concert filmed live at Carnival City's Big Top Arena in Johannesburg.

LIRA_A Celebration (Live) from Warwick Allan on Vimeo.

(Photo Credits: © BMG)

Zama Dube Is Living Out Loud

Written By: Nani Hapa—Zama Dube is defining the voice of the youth in post-apartheid South Africa as host of The Face-Off With Zama Dube on Johannesburg-based youth-centric radio station, YFM, which is known for broadcasting “the soundtrack to an urban life—fast-paced, energetic and uplifting with a mix of a few quiet moments so that you can catch your breath in the middle of Jozi madness.” Born in Kwa-Mashu, Durban, to a single mother, Zama comes from a musical family of natural dancers and singers—it is no wonder then that she made her way to radio while concurrently studying a joint honors degree at WITS University. MIMI caught up with the reb(ELLE) to talk about being a part of, and representing, the young post-apartheid generation. Read our interview with Zama in the article Living Out Loud.

(Photo Credits: © YFM)

The New Issue Of MIMI Is All About Reb(ELLE)s

Written By: MIM!—Read the latest issue of MIMI and discover how our four Soul.Substance.Style Reb(ELLE)s: Zama Dube (our cover girl), Nancie Mwai, Angela Chimokwu and Bethlehem Alemu dared to not only dream big but also defy convention. Also in this issue, find Deola Sagoe's latest collection, Ori Oré, that was inspired by both the Japanese and the Yoruba cultures, see how Lalesso is bringing beauty to the beach, and tackle serious questions such as "what does it mean to be black?" in the article Beyond Black and "what will it take to get proper housing in South Africa's townships?" in the article A Winding Path To Descent Housing.

Happy reading (and don't forget to subscribe to MIMI by following us on Facebook for the most up-to-date information from us)!

MIMI Related Links: Volume 7, Issue 3: Reb(ELLE)s

(Photo Credits: © YFM)

Soweto's Black Porcelain's Single Butterflies Is A Hit!

Written By: MIM!—Soweto born singer and songwriter Black Porcelain, who is currently in the studio finishing her debut album, Invincible Summer, says she is pleasantly surprised by the success of her lead single from the album, Butterflies. “I called the album Invincible Summer as it has been a very long journey with many rejections on the way. I was inspired by an Albert Camus quote (in the depth of winter, I finally realised that within me there lay an invincible summer', which described this journey so well ... honestly, I think we out did ourselves [with the single Butterflies] because I don’t even have an album or a label.” Listen to Butterflies below and let us know if you are excited about Black Porcelain’s upcoming album.

Written By: MIM!—After a five year hiatus since releasing her album, Born and Raised, Joy Denalane is back with a new album Maureen (Maureen is Joy's middle name). This time around Joy sings more tracks in German, but she is still belting out her rich R&B sound that we've come to love. To get a sense for the vibe of Joy's new album, Maureen, take a look at the video for the album's lead single Niemand (Was Wir Nicht Tun) (featuring Maxx Herre), below.

JOY DENALANE - NIEMAND (WAS WIR NICHT TUN) - MUSIC VIDEO from Ole Wiedemann on Vimeo.

(Photo Credits: © CD Cover Art)

Music Video: Spoek Mathambo, Don't Mean To Be Rude (Featuring Zaki Ibrahim)

Written By: MIM!—When we heard Spoek Mathambo and Zaki Ibrahim teamed up for the single, Don't Mean To Be Rude, we knew the only thing we could expect was the unexpected. Take a look at the video for the catchy single (warning, it's not safe for work).

Spoek Mathambo - Don't mean to be rude ft Zaki Ibrahim from leneopen on Vimeo.

Freshlyground's Debut North American Tour, June-July, 2011

Written By: MIM!—Freshlyground—whose name evokes the fresh mix of just-crushed herbs—fearlessly dives into crates of traditional instruments, pointed political critique, poetry notebooks, and well-loved Southern African pop forms. They channel the sunny openness of hip Cape Town and the intense energy of singing ancestors. The mix is catchy, driving, and refreshingly upbeat, even when songs take aim at social ills and the folly of misguided politicians.

This summer the group’s bountiful diversity will hit North America (including New York, San Francisco, DC, Philly, Montreal, Vancouver) for the first time, as the group tours in June and July, in a live show bursting with bold energy, wry humor, and skillful spontaneity. Here are their North American tour dates:

Written By: Nani Hapa—The adidas all originals "i art sa" community mural project is a project aimed at giving neighborhoods makeovers in the form of graffiti art. "i art woodstock" was the first tier of three in this project. Take a look at the rest of the murals from the Woodstock project below. Read more »

The Robot Artists

Written By: MIM!—Robot Artists is a short documentary by African Cartel showcasing a group of Zimbabwean artists whose marketplace and livelihood is a traffic light intersection in Cape Town, South Africa. Take a look below, and support African Cartel's artists by visiting www.AfricanCartel.com.

Robot Artists from African Cartel on Vimeo.

MIMI Related Links: Visual Visionary: Paul Sika; Post-Colonial Subversions

Snapshots: Mario Rabie, The Master Of Design

Written By: Jamelia Mmari—Cape Town based photographer Mario Rabie is a virtuoso with the camera who has the ability to captivate and inspire with one snapshot. Here's more about him:

"From a young age I was very passionate about music. In my teenage years I played tuba in a brass band. I studied Human Resources. Photography was a hobby for me until I got offered an assistant job for a renowned photographer, Michael Tummings. That was the start of my long experience as a photo assistant. It has been such a pleasure working with talented aclaimed photographers as Marc de Groot and Warren Rasmussen. I love shooting portraits of people with interesting and rare skills in their own environment. Although observing life and capturing natural experiences inspires my photography, I love creating images in studio which demands technical and creative abilities."

To see more of this master of design's work, visit www.MarioRabie.com.

Snapshots: Mary Sibande: De-Constructing Colonial Victorian Aesthetics

Written By: Jamelia Mmari—It's hard to believe that Johannesburg artist Mary Sibande has barely hit 30 years old, for her paintings and sculptures exploring the construction of identity in a postcolonial South African context and critiquing stereotypical depictions of women (particularly black women in our society) reflects an old soul.

Sober: South Africa Fashion Week 2011 Summer Collection

Written By: SA Fashion Week—Designer Tshepo Mafokwane Graduated from Tshwane University of Technology in 2004. Tshepo started by designing for a small clientele. Within a matter of months she had found herself in the merchandising division of one of the biggest retailers in the country. This retail experience gave her the opportunity to get to know a different side of fashion. Subsequently she launched her own label her label, Sober, in 2006. Here's her South Africa Fashion Week Summer 2011 collection.

Written By: SA Fashion Week—29-year-old Elme Bekker graduated from the Elizabeth Galloway Academy of Fashion Design in Stellenbosch. Ethics and eco-friendly design are important to this Stellenbosch resident who says: “I see design in everything. I even dream of fashion.” Take a look at her first South Africa Fashion Week collection.

Written By: SA Fashion Week—Having recently graduated from the Linea Academy in Durban, Joel Janse Van Vuuren launches his first collection at the SA Fashion Week Summer Collections. His summer range is inspired by abstract shapes, utilizing the rather “unsophisticated” approach of spilling paint onto a piece of paper and either folding the page or pressing another sheet on top of the painted one, Joel then transforms these paint blot silhouettes into fashion illustrations and the core inspiration of the collection. See more below.

What Will Tomorrow's Cities Look Like If We Don't Care About The Environment Today?

Tomorrow's Cities from Luke Younge on Vimeo.

Gert Johan Coetzee: South Africa Fashion Week 2011 Summer Collection

Written By: MIM!—SA Designer of the Year 2010, Gert-Johan is one of South Africa’s most loved and well known fashion designers. Known for his red carpet designs which have been seen at major events, such as the SA Music Awards, SA Film And Television Awards, the J&B Met, and Miss World to name a few, it should come as no surprise that his creations have won the best dressed title many times. Take a look at our favorite pieces from his flawless (and edgy) South Africa Fashion Week 2011 summer collection.