Zoe Modiga and music phenomenon Mandisi Dyantis to enthral fans at Con Hill this February
By CityLife Arts Writer
Treat yourself to an amazing double bill on February 11, 2023, when leading music industry lights Zoë Modiga and Mandisi Dyantis take to the stage at Constitution Hill.
“BandaBanda Agency is starting 2023 with a bang as they produce their first show at Constitutional Hill to celebrate Life, Love and Living for another.” says show producer Banda Banda.
Banda Banda believes ” Zoë Modiga and Mandisi Dyantyis have become the artists that communicate with stories, like how South African artists like Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela were 60 years ago and what Ringo Madlingozi and Thandiswa Mazwai have been for the past 25 years. ”
They will be performing on the same stage for the first time at the event that stsrts at 15:00 on Saturday the 11th. Tickets are priced from R300.00 on Quicket. “We will be singing along to music of the people by the our people. We aim to celebrate each other and embrace our differences that make us unique and special. We will have other supporting acts whom we will announce soon.” Adds Banda Banda.
Zoë Modiga is excited. “I’ve admired Mandisi for many years and enjoyed all he has been sharing of the human condition through song. Being able to take him in, in his message, his compositions and his calling has been a beautiful ride. “
“When the BandaBanda Agency brought up the idea of us doing a joint show to open up the year I was thrilled. I consider it my birthday gift as a February baby and I know we will co-create something impactful and honest with the audience. His music is deeply affirming and speaks to much of what I hope to affirm in people as well.”
About Zoe Modiga
Zoë Modiga born and raised in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, is the quintessential artist who represents the present and future of South African music. Drawing from the human experience, identity and storytelling, she creates a distinct sound to communicate a modern, evolving African story without loosing its essence.
As a lively, transcendent performer with a background in classical and jazz training, she is known to enchant audiences into another world while having an evocative individualism in fashion and imagery.
Zoë is an independent artist, releasing her debut album, “Yellow: The Novel” and her sophomore album, “Inganekwane,” under her label Yelloëwax. She is celebrated with nominations such as: Best Jazz Album and Best African Artist for the South African Music Awards (2018), Female Artist of the Year by the VN Streaming (2020), Best African Jazz Artist at the All Africa Music Awards (2021), Based in Music Awards (2022).
She has been honoured with the SAMRO Overseas Scholarship Competition (2015) and awards such as the Mbokodo Award for Music (2019), Mzantsi Jazz Awards for Best Jazz Contemporary Album, Best Newcomer in Jazz and Best Jazz Song (2018), Dopest Album Cover of 2020 by African Design League.
The impact of Zoë’s messages has materialised with her being the cover girl for renowned British-based publication, Songlines UK (2020) and a proudly South African publication, Botaki Youth Magazine : Women’s Edition (2020). She also makes an appearance on Netflix series, “Savage Beauty” (2022).
Despite the global pandemic she has been able to spearhead virtual performances throughout the year, collaborating with the likes of the Credo Mutwa Foundation, Redbull, PUMA and Goethe Institute to name a few.
Her enthusiasm for unorthodox music education has moved her to collaborate the department of higher education and training, in partnership with the department of science through the initiative called, “The Heritage Careers Expo”. In championing workshops, she has been able to mobilise conversations around heritage, identity, storytelling and music to inspire and empower young minds from various demographics and socio economic backgrounds.
Zoë has performed at celebrated festivals in South Africa such as: the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, Durban Jazz Festival, Oppikoppi, Rocking the Daisies, Afropunk, Redbull Music Festival, Hugh Masekela Heritage Festival, Joburg Film Festival, Fete De La Musique, Blooming Sounds, Mzansi Fela, Basha Uhuru Festival, and many more.
Internationally, she has played at the North Sea Jazz Festival (Netherlands), Africa Festival Hertme (Netherlands), MTN Bushfire Festival (Swaziland), Africadelic and frequents world tours with a music collective she collaborates with called, “Seba Kaapstad”.
She has participated in Somi’s Salon Africana series (New York) and production, “Dreaming Zenzile” (New York/Utah) — a celebration and reimagining of Miriam Makeba’s life.
True to her pan African activism, she has partnered with allies, university students, academics, war survivors and artists, with the support of the African Union for the Silencing the Guns campaign. This is a pledge for peace, aiming to address the issues of war and civil unrest in Africa.
Zoë has collaborated with some of the worlds finest musicians including Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Johnny Clegg, Abigail Kubeka, Thandiswa Mazwai, Simphiwe Dana, Madala Kunene, Louis Maholo, Tshepo Tshola, Wynton Marsalis and many more.
An authentic, compelling artist challenging the status quo, Zoë Modiga is steadily creating an immortal legacy of cultural impact through music, fashion and storytelling.
About Mandisi Dyantis
We would like to introduce you to Mandisi Dyantyis, who is an Afro-Soul-Jazz artist.
Mandisi Dyantyis is a South African trumpeter and vocalist who in 2019 released his debut album entitled Somandla and was nominated for the SAMA award for best Jazz Album of 2019.
In the same year, he was nominated for the Mzantsi Jazz Awards and The Afrima The African Music Awards in the “Best Jazz Artist category”
On the success of this debut album, He has played the Summer Silo Concerts, J&B Met, and sold out the Grahamstown Jazz Festival, and since then, has sold out very club and mini festival bookings since. He has performed at the following festivals, such as Spier Encounters Festival, Grahamstown Arts Festival, V&A Waterfront Summer Concerts, Joburg International Big Band Festival, Woordfees, Cape Town Folk n Acoustic Music Festival, Cape Town International Jazz Festival.
On the 30th April 2021 Mandisi Dyantyis was the only South African artists chosen to perform in South Africa on the International Jazz Day that was screened around the world to millions of jazz fans.
His shows have become extremely popular with local fans. On the 28th, 29th and 30th May 2021, he sold out all three concerts in Bosheuvel Country Estate and 2 concerts at Summerhill Wine State in 16 hours. Mandisi launched his Youtube channel a year ago and has already received a collective viewing of over 400 000 views across various shows. With other people putting up videos of him and with Next Records putting up his songs on YouTube, the viewing is in excess of 1.5 million views. His online show “A Living Room Session”, alone, has reached in the excess of 150 000 views.
His recent Gqeberha and upcoming dates in JHB sold out in 4 hours.
In 2022 Mandisi sold out, The Pretoria State Theatre, The Bloemfontein State Theatre, and his recent Durban and East London shows.
He also sold out The Artscape Opera House in Cape Town and two nights at Emperors Palace.
He released his 2nd Album Cwaka in the beginning of 2022 and Cwaka has already past 2.5 million streams online. This is unprecedented for any jazz /soul artist.
Cwaka, also won the 2022 SAMA Award for Best Adult Contemporary Album.
Mandisi was asked to feature on the Multichoice Origins campaign which showcased 6 of the hippest South African artists in various genres of dance, film and music.
This resulted in a 6 week roll out on Prime Television and a performance at the Joburg Film Festival.
In the same month he was asked to be part of the PLATOON [Apple Music] mural on a wall in Maboneng.
He also Mandisi also travelled with the artist, Nelson Makamo to New York, and they spent a month in Boston, lecturing and curating stories with the students at the music and arts department at Harvard.
In October, he also toured a sell-out tour in France with his Isango Ensemble Theatre Company, for which he is an associate director and musical director for the past 16 years.
This past Summer, Mandisi headlined a few festivals and concerts and also shared the stage with a few South Africa icons.
Show details
Date : 11 February 2023
Venue : Constitutional Hill, 11 Kotze street, Braamfontein
Time : 3pm till late.
Tickets: Quicket from R400