If there is one singer in South Africa capable of doing justice to a Brenda Fassie song, it’s Kwazakhele, Port Elizabeth born singer and songwriter, Nomfusi. The singer, now based in Cape Town and soon off to Canada to perform at the Montreal Jazz Festival, says “Brenda is a legend. She had a brilliant voice, and that ‘X-factor’ which so many new singers lack. She was very outspoken, I can relate to that.”
Nomfusi and her full six-piece band, The Lucky Charms, will be doing a tribute to Brenda at the Gay Pride Parade Party on Saturday 5 March at the Cape Town Stadium. The line-up will include Wendy Oldfield, Caire Phillips and Three Tons of Fun.
The Pride Festival, with it’s 2011 theme, “Uniting the Cultures of Cape Town,” is squarely in line with Nomfusi’s ethos. “I always say at my concerts, that we must be thankful that we have a constitution that allows us to be in the same space, that is white, black, yellow, brown, pink, green, without attacking each another! It is important that we carry this message through-out Africa, where so much intolerance still prevails. Human rights are violated daily, our recent visit to Malawi showed us how much work there is still to do in Africa.”
Brenda Fassie, who was open about being lesbian in the years leading to her death, led a controversial life of drug abuse and turbulent relationships. “I’m not at all condoning what she did with her life, but the spirit of MaBrrr should never be forgotten. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, she was proud of her African heritage and made brilliant music. I just wish she could have done it all without the drugs!”
The Pride Party at Cape Town Stadium starts at 13h00 pm after the Pride Parade, which starts at 11h00 am. The show will also include dancers, drag acts and DJ’s.
Nomfusi was born in the township of KwaZhakele, Port Elizabeth. Her single mother, Kwazibani (translated: “Who knows?”) raised her, whilst her father languished in jail for 21 years. A domestic worker by day, Kwazibani was also a sangoma with a gift for music.
Alan Straton
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