2007 January Style Star: Simphiwe Dana

Simphiwe Dana, one of South Africa’s newest ladies in song and already an acclaimed musician of platinum status, has just released her second album, ‘The One Love Movement from Bantu Biko Street’.

Simphiwe’s musical career has been inspired by the chanting of ceremonial and wedding songs under the mountains that rise above the Transkei village of Lusikisiki where, like those before her, she went down barefoot to the river to draw water.

Culture, tradition and a devotion to music have launched one of the most gifted musicians of southern African descent, and today she performs her trade with loving devotion before audiences across the globe, from eager small sweaty clubs in Joburg, to presidents in the grandest of castles in Prague, in the Czech Republic.

It’s been said that her rich talent will transport you to that golden era in South Africa’s history, and will remind you of a young Miriam Makeba, and of Dorothy Masuku.

Her stiring fusion of gospel, traditional African choral music and her powerful jazz deliver a sound that is uniquely South African.

Simphiwe says: ‘Anything that advances life, gives it deeper meaning’. gsport is proud to announce its January Style Star: Simphiwe Dana.

Your debut album ‘Zandisile’ won Best Jazz Album and Best Newcomer Award at the South African Music Awards 2005, what did that mean to you?

It just basically gave me assurity in a way, that I was meant to be in the industry. Basically, it meant to me that the industry is accepting me as one of their own, you know, and it made me feel more comfortable in doing what I do, and of course, more sure that I’m doing the right thing.

That album and the birth of your daughter were near-simultaneous events three years ago, tell us a little about your daughter:

My daughter’s name is Zazi, and it means ‘Love yourself’.

And does she?

(Laughs) She’s pretty sure of who she is (laughs).

What does it mean to make music that sells to platinum status?

Well, it was a crazy idea, you know, to try to create music that was really different. For me to get that kind of acceptance, its wow, you know.

I dreamt of it, but I didn’t really accept it. For it to happen, it’s really something big for me.

I’ve read about your father being a preacher, and how you were very much involved in choir music…

It wasn’t my father, really, it was more my mother. My father was a preacher before I was born. But by the time I was aware, he wasn’t a preacher anymore.

It was my mother, really, who was influential, a very powerful woman, a strong believer in God.

Did you sing with her in the choir?

No (laughs), but that other thing about her is a strong feeling, like um main stream in a way, yeah. By the time I was aware, she still sang at home, and if I was standing next to her, and I would hear her singing in church as well.

What’s your life been like since your debut album?

Ah, well, it’s been a rollercoaster really, I’m touring the world, things couldn’t be better, really…

Are there any lessons that you’ve learned since you released your album that you’d like to tell gsport readers about?

Well, I’ve learned that humility and honesty, and being true to yourself, will get you everywhere. And the opposite, will get you nowhere.

Your albums are rich with Xhosa: what does your culture mean to you?

Well, it’s my language as an African, it’s truly an identity, and it makes me somebody. That’s why it’s so hugely important for me. It’s a time when we Africans are trying to find ourselves, especially after Apartheid.

So for me, to understand where I come from culturally, if I can speak my language, it opens so many doors for me, to understand who I am and where I come from.

Can you tell me about the name of your new album, ‘The One Love Movement from Bantu Biko Street’: Where’s it from, what does it mean, is there a message for us?

I feel firstly that my album begins with the individual, you know, love begins with oneself. If you cannot love yourself, you cannot love anyone around you. People that you meet are also like mirrors for you.

Whether you like it or not, you tend to meet people all the time, (and when some) people tend to look at you with hate, then you start to think there is something wrong with yourself, and you start to hate yourself.

That was one of the messages that Bra Steve Biko taught, or preached, when he was still alive. That is why I married the two, for me that makes sense. I thought that anyone would understand what I’m trying to say, when I say: ‘The One Love Movement from Bantu Biko Street.’

Is Bantu Biko Street a place that you know, or are you talking about Steve Biko?

Well, it’s not a street that I know of, it’s a point that I’m making. One of our most prominent leaders of the struggle doesn’t have a street named after him, and I see so many others who do.

And I would like to see that as well, because he was one of the most important leaders of the struggle movement.

What does music mean to you?

Music for me is a form of healing, you know, it heals the person who is singing it, and it heals the people who are listening to it.

It gives them hope for the future, that is what music, to me personally, means.

What are your plans for 2007?

Well, to spread my wings as far as I can…

… and I’ll also like to promote this new album I’ve just created.

I believe you’re on you way to Prague, is this a professional engagement?

We’ve been invited by some people in the Presidency of the country, and we’re scheduled for a performance at some castle that is very important to them, and they’ve invited us to come perform at a festival.

gsport strives to celebrate femininity, how would you describe femininity?

Yeah, shucks, that’s a heavy one to ask… What I’ve noticed and I’ve learned personally from women, is that they have held, basically, the community together.

They are the ones that have educated us. Even up to today, I have no idea how my mother put me through school, and my other siblings: she was a single parent.

So, like, their strength is totally amazing, their strength of character, and their conviction, when they basically have a vision, they make sure that vision is achieved, or accomplished.

They are quite basic, you know like, when it comes to family, especially, women (and I’m not saying all women here, I’m just generalising), women are the ones that take care of family, take care of the children, and I’ve found that quite special about them.

What is the sport that you most enjoy watching?

I’m not really a sports person, but I’m a patriot. When the national team is playing, and I can watch, I make sure that I do.

Being part of it, I believe is really important. It’s about pride, being proud of the country, and the people that give me.

Is there a South African sports star that you admire?

Back in the day I used to admire (former Bafana Bafana midfielder) Shoes (Moshoeu).

You’ve been named a fashion diva on a number of occasions: Can you tell us about your fashion inspiration?

You know, I’m a person who believes in … ideas, and one of those ideas is reincarnation. That’s something that’s quite real to me, you know. In a way I feel like I’m just life-hopping.

I’m just hopping from one life to the next, to the next. Because of that understanding about myself, I tend to have quite interesting ideas, and it comes to fashion, I guess.

How would you define your fashion, it’s quite unique?

It’s eccentric, spiritual, futuristic. That’s the best way I can describe it.

Where would we be able to find your clothes, if we had to go shopping for it?

Shu, that’s a difficult one, I don’t really shop from one place, I usually have most of my clothes made as well, it’s quite difficult to say which store to go to.

But I really admire Stoned Cherrie and what they’re doing, and also there’s just a lot of young designers that are not based in any one store who are doing quite amazing things, yeah.

Can you tell us about and recount the experience, of the strangest outfit you’ve ever heard?

The strangest … (laughs), Yeah, I guess it would be the one on my cover (of my new album) now. I think that’s quite strange, yeah.

And your favourite item of clothing?

Ahh, you know, it’s actually my turbans, what I usually put on my head, you know, like I’ve actually got quite an interesting collection of turbans, you know, and that is I guess one of my favourite fashion items.

Can you name one or two of your favourite South African designers for us?

Palesa Mokubung, she used to work for Stoned Cherrie, and um, my own sister as well, Siphokazi Dana.

Who do you admire in music?

You know, right now I’m on a trip about Astrud Gilberto… I don’t really have favourites, you know, I go through phases, and then there’s people I guess who have a lasting effect, that I eventually tend to have in my star collection.

I like Astrud right now, I like Cuban music, you know, and of course jazz is always a definite. So maybe let me put it more like certain genres like jazz, reggae, you know, and I like the cultured jazz here from the Citizen 16, and I like Busi Mhlongo, and I like Salif Keta.

What is your favourite food?

Anything with mushrooms and cream sauce (laughs).

Favourite colour?

Green.

What are you still looking to achieve?

Well, you know, um, right at this moment, I’m just really enjoying what I’m beginning to achieve, and I’m looking forward to how far it will go, and I mean, really, that was my dream, you know, and it’s starting to happen.

So I’m just watching that, beyond that, I’m content.

Go to our December Style Star – Margaret van der Westhuizen

Go to our January Woman of the Month – Lesley Copeman

Go to our January gSTAR – Ashleigh Simon

Go to our January Woman in Media – Lebo Motsoeli

Go to the gsport Newsroom