Author: Melanie Ramjee

AFROBEATS DJ SPOKENPRIESTESS BRING TOGETHER ALL STAR AFRICAN FEMALE FEATURE 

African born Afrobeats DJ extraordinaire, Spokenpriestess, released her first musical work with a Shemix for  Yung Verbal’s current hit track, “Rotation” recently which has been making waves across the continent.

Commissioned by the half South African half  Zambian rapper to give his hit single new life, the DJ gathered an all-star female cast from different corners of the continent to produce a kick butt anthem.

The ROTATION SHEMIX features Namibia’s own Lioness, Nigerian Phlow, South African sweethearts Tamarsha and Moozlie and repping for the east is Kenyan star Crystal Asige.

WHAT TO EXPECT!

After a radio-esque announcement by Spokenpriestess, Lioness sets the tone with a punchy verse followed by Phlow who dishes a bossy dancehall inspired delivery. SA’s songbird Tamarsha adds her signature voice and catchy hook to the feat right before Moozlie rocks the party with her finesse. Crystal Asige sends off the song in a fierce checkmate delivered with sprinkles of Kiswahili giving us something to learn as we jam along.

Known for her passion for all things African, Spokenpriestess cements the song as the start of a bigger cause to create connections across the continent, particularly amongst womxn in the creative industry. 

It couldn’t have come at a better time with the global shift focused on Africa and moreover  female talent over the past few months.

This Pan-African tune is all the feel good energy the doctor just ordered, so get it today: http://africori.to/rotation

Social media Handles 

@spokenpriestess

@YungVerbal

@lioness_CilQ / @lionessnam

@phlowetry

@realtamarsha / @tamarshatakesover 

@NoMoozlie / @moozlie

@CrystalAsige 

TOP SOUTH AFRICAN DESIGNERS COLLABORATION

Miller Genuine Draft last week announced the return of the Miller Design Lab, a creative collaboration between streetwear fashion guru Jeff Staple and top South African designers.

Miller Design Lab is a unique project that sees nightlife culture join dope design. It’s about design innovation that taps into the latest trends and harnesses the talent of global creators to craft a truly original experience.

Under the mentorship of international creative enigma and legendary collab ‘God’ Jeff Staple, Miller Design Lab will collaborate with 4 top SA designers to explore the exciting trend of customisation. 

Once again planning to bring the design heat, the 2020 theme is ‘Customised for the Exceptional’.

This year’s local designers include:
Beau Beau
Trans-seasonal streetwear label
Documentary: https://millerdesignlab.co.za/designers/beau-beau/

Matte
A conceptual designer with a strong foundation in footwear
Documentary: https://millerdesignlab.co.za/designers/matte/

Pea 
Unisex, street-inspired jewellery brand
Documentary: https://millerdesignlab.co.za/designers/pea/

Zol Freckles
A stylish influencer / model as well as the mastermind behind the fashion label, “Evolving Revolver”
Documentary: https://millerdesignlab.co.za/designers/evolving-revolver/

Under the added pressure of a socially-distanced 2020, our designers created a unique collection that is customised for the exceptional in a whole new way.  All proceeds of the products sold goes directly to the designers.

“Customisation is the most exciting trend for this generation. Miller wants to create a platform of expression through design and allow people to tailor their clothing and stand out at every occasion” says the great Jeff Staple.


Keep your eyes glued to the Miller Genuine Draft social pages to see what they’ve come up with and of course, shop the limited edition collection!  

Some designers work to stand out, while others aim to belong. Either way, the final result is an epic fashion range, crafted for the exceptional.

For more information, check out https://millerdesignlab.co.za/designers/

Trace has acquired a majority stake in Okuhle Media, a leading player in the production of audiovisual content for South Africa, Africa and global markets.

Founded in 2003 by five producers, Okuhle Media is headquartered in Cape Town and employs 78 highly qualified staff.

Okuhle Media develops, produces and licenses programmes and formats for the leading commercial and public TV channels and for streaming platforms in South Africa, Africa, Europe and the rest of the world.
The content created by Okuhle Media is watched by millions of viewers and Okuhle Media has won a number of industry awards since its creation.

During the Covid lockdown in South Africa, Okuhle Media has demonstrated its resilience and flexibility to increase its production output at the request of its major partners and broadcasters.

For Trace, Okuhle Media constitutes a high-potential asset that will enhance its audiovisual production expertise and that will complement its existing Trace Studios assets.

Trace will benefit from great synergies with Okuhle Media to build the courses of “Trace Academia”, a disruptive online edutainment platform to be launched in November 2020.
Okuhle Media will also provide content to Trace TV channels and to TracePlay, the streaming platform of Trace Group.

For Olivier Laouchez, Chairman & CEO of Trace: “The acquisition of Okuhle Media brings new opportunities for Trace. We look forward to developing them with the Okuhle Media team, made of great professionals, passionate about building a world-class creative and production house with distinct African roots and narrative. Okuhle Media fits perfectly into our strategy to make Trace a global leader for entertainment and empowerment of our people.”

For Barbara Bellini, CEO of Okuhle Media: “With Trace, Okuhle Media has found the perfect home to help us capture more growth opportunities in the domestic and international markets. This alliance will also reinforce our ability to develop great content and tell important stories, giving Africa a louder voice that will resonate with audiences in Africa and beyond.”

EDITOR NOTES

About Trace
Launched in 2003, Trace is the first global ecosystem that leverages afro-urban entertainment to connect & empower the new generation and the creators. Trace is a signature hub for afro-urban entertainment and offers TV channels, FM radios, mobile and digital services, content, events etc. to 350 million users in 180 countries.

About Okuhle Media – the Dreamers, Thinkers, and Creators.
Established in 2003, Okuhle Media is an award-winning, television production company and content marketing agency, based in Cape Town, South Africa. Winner of several prestigious local and international awards, including the Imbongi Award for best production company and a number of SAFTA awards, Okuhle Media builds meaningful and memorable connections between creators, stories, brands and their audiences.

“She’s the whole package: impossibly cool, insanely talented and very much in control of her sound.”​ – B​ritish GQ

Today, (4th September) South-African creative powerhouse lordkez releases her stunning first single “Rain” , taken from her highly anticipated forthcoming EP ‘Charcotta’ – out on the 25th September.
Accompanied by a live performance concept visual, set on a rooftop in Johannesburg, lordkez is truly hypnotizing as she performs the enchanting track with true confidence, and an effortlessly smooth vocal.

    Speaking on “Rain”, lordkez explains “In South Africa it rains in the summer, especially at night. I stayed in a place that has incredible greenery in the garden, so I would open all my windows when it rained to let in all that positive energy, one rainy summers day I went to the studio with my team and we spent all night recording this song. When I was making this song I was in a place where I was learning so much about myself and my potential, so I just let this one flow out of me in the studio that night. I love this song, it resembles growth and new life to me.”

With a signature style of self-assured, gritty, electronic-infused RnB, lorkez pushes the boundaries of music; both harnessing all sounds and remaining genreless all at once. Produced by long term musical collaborator Mars Baby, “Rain” is the first offering since her second EP ‘ Revenge Season ’ – the project that placed her on the music map, back in early 2019, solidifying her as one of the hottest new talents to emerge from South Africa’s alt-music scene.

lordkez , real name Keziah, cites her first musical memory as witnessing her mother and uncle playing the organ at church. Keziah quickly picked up the instrument herself and by the time she was a teenager, she had taught herself to play the keys and strum the guitar -all by ear. She also frequently painted, sketched, experimented with fashion and dabbled in poetry; all forms of expressions encouraged by her mother.

At 16, Keziah and her sister relocated to the UAE due to a job opportunity that her mother was pursuing. Initially met with a culture shock as a result of her small-town sensibilities being vehemently shaken in the vastness of Abu Dhabi, she quickly grew to embrace the new energy of metropolitan life.

Exposed to new perspectives, it was during her stint at the city’s international school that Keziah first conceived her dreams of becoming a musician, and subsequently wrote her first original song. It was then that lordkez was born.

With her talents being recognised globally, in March of 2020, lordkez covered the South Africa Times Lifestyle supplement, being hailed as one of the most promising creatives; a force to be reckoned with. Autumn 2020 promises a lot more from the avid abstract artist, poet, writer and musician.

Stay tuned!

Please see below for lordkez press pack:
https://we.tl/t-igvb4eHqss
 
Social Media: 
@lordkez – Instagram @LORDOFTHEVIBES
Twitter @staylow_official – Instagram @staylow_official – Twitter

Despite the corona virus Special Olympics South Africa has decided to go ahead with their annual Polar Plunge. Although a bit delayed because of lockdown the event will take place and you will get to see your favourite celebrities plunge into an icy swimming pool in support of the athletes of Special Olympics.

2020 will be the 4^th edition of the Polar Plunge in South Africa and will take place on the 5^th September at the popular Altitude Beach in Fourways. This year the target is 150 committed celebrities and business leaders taking the plunge. 

Due to Level 2 restrictions the event will take place with no spectators but will be live-streamed on Special Olympics South Africa social media platforms.  Plungers will be staggered to adhere to the restrictions. 

The event promises to be just as successful as previous versions with a number of high profile celebrities already committed. Previous events have raised funds to support the participation of the Special Olympics National Team in the World Games but this year the focus will be on raising funds for food parcels for the athletes and their families that have been left destitute by the corona virus and lockdown in South Africa. 

Ancilla Smith, CEO of Special Olympics South Africa, explained as follows. 

“So many people have lost loved ones, jobs and income due to the Covid pandemic and our hearts are broken for them. After reaching out to our athletes we realized that many of them are struggling with a terrifying reality, that reality is hunger, and in the long term, starvation. We have not been able to implement most of our normal activities this year but we could try and respond to this critical need.  We have therefore focused our attention on providing food parcels for our athletes and their families.”

In partnership with Urban Greens, Special Olympics provides a food parcel which contains 22kg of fruit and vegetables, 10kg of maize meal and 3 kg of beans and lentils. This can feed a family of four for up to 3 weeks. The cost of one food parcel is R250. 

This year Special Olympics is asking each plunger to commit to at least R250 to feed one family. They are also asking supporters to come on board and support the food parcel drive.

Supporters can donate at: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/so-food-parcel-drive

This year’s list of celebrities, Special Olympics South Africa (SOSA) ambassadors and other well-known individuals taking the plunge include:

• Lucas Radebe (Football legend and former SOSA board member)
• Mark Fish (Football legend and SOSA Ambassador)
• Kim Jayde (Well-known media personality and SOSA Ambassador)
• Rouge (Hip Hop Artist) 
• Christopher Jafta (TV Personality)
• Nomuzi Mabena (Performing artist)
• Pasi Koetle (Well-known TV personality)
• Nay Maps (Performing artist)
• Gigi Lamayne (Performing artist)
• Nina Hastie (Comedian)
• Samkelo Ndlovu (Well-known TV personality)
• Reason (Performing artist)
• Eric Macheru (Well-known TV personality)
• Ricardo Da Costa (Award winning Promoter and DJ/ Venue owner/ Sponsor)
• Abigail Visagie (TV Presenter, Model, Actress)
• Thandy Matlaila (Well-known TV personality)
• Lynn Forbes (SOSA Ambassador)
• Oneida Copper (Olympic swimmer)
• Sbu Shongwe (Actor and SOSA Ambassador)
• Nicole Bessick (Well-known TV personality and Fitness Queen)
• Tshepiso Phoza (Author and motivational speaker)
• Paul Modjadji (International renowned Dancer and Choregrapher)
• Bianca Le Grange (Performing artist)
• Clint Brink (Actor and well-known TV personality)
• Lex Leo (Performing artist)
• Benny Afroe (Performing Artist)
• Nicole Capper (Well-known TV personality)
• Paul Kamanga (Welterweight professional boxer and SOSA Ambassador)
• Paledi Segapo (Award winning Fashion Designer)
• Sibu Mabena (Marketing Expert)
• Shelton Forbes (Artist and Media Personality) 
• Melanie Ramjee AKA Hypress (SOSA Deputy-Chairperson and Ambassador)

In addition, a long list of business leaders and individuals have also committed to take the plunge in support of the athletes of Special Olympics South Africa.

Aimed at celebrating the aesthetics and culture of the Gauteng Province through film, TRACE URBAN a youth-focused brand together with the Gauteng Film Commission, today announced the launch of the annual Trace X GFC Filmmaker competition.

Now in it’s fourth year, this annual competition offers young creatives an opportunity to shine in their own space. TRACE once again collaborated with the Gauteng Film Commission to empower local film makers. 

Focussing on Gauteng Film Commission mission to identify young Gauteng talented filmmakers while seeks to celebrate the creative progression of SA’s music culture through the use of locations and give insight on the social cultures of the country. 

The show which will be screened on the TRACE URBAN channel in addition to their social media, is an on-the-ground / in-the-field short documentary that revolves around subcultures, groups, trends, movements, art collectives, or crews who are pushing boundaries, shifting the lines and shaking up society. 

Not only is the competition set up around education and empowerment  but also set to encourage and inspire creatives to get behind their own dreams. Ultimately offering the winner a start a kick-start in the film industry with a substantial prize valued at R50 000 which can be used to fund a documentary.

With our current brand mission aimed at empowering our youth, Trace is proud to once again stand behind this campaign together with our partners the Gauteng Film Commission” confirmed Trace Urban’s Head of Marketing Natalie Mdladla. “Following the success of the past three years, it was a palpable decision to once again get behind our young creatives via this competition. TRACE is all about empowerment, education, entertainment and engagement. Also taking the current pandemic in consideration, we feel candidates can still safely and creatively produce their submissions”.

The competition is open to all Gauteng based creatives. A full list of the Terms and Conditions can be found online www.trace.tv
 

CALL TO ACTION:

Phase 1:

3 Aug         Candidates create a short 30 sec video (THEME: on why you love Gauteng 

                    Upload your 30 second video onto www.trace.tv  

23 Aug       Entries close

                    Top FIVE candidates contacted

27 Aug       FIVE candidates will be shortlisted and given a R5000 stipend to create a       
                    90 sec video about iconic Gauteng music and lifestyle locations. 

31 Aug       The 90 seconder will be used to raise awareness around the change and status
                    of the entertainment industry in Gauteng.

                    These FIVE video’s will be aired on Trace channels 

Phase 2:

14 Sep         Candidates submit final videos

15 Sep         Final Approval and Feedback

21 Sep        Top FIVE announced 

                    Top FIVE video’s screened on Trace

23 Sep       Audience Voting Commences

10 Oct        Public Vote Ends

14 Oct        Winner Announced 

                    Winner’s video flighted on all TRACE platforms

14 Dec       Winner Video Screened