Bongeziwe Mabandla’s trajectory over the last six months has been nothing short of incredible. From his COLORS debut to the release of his stunning fourth studio album amaXesha (and not to mention going to Cannes Film Festival for his role in new Belgian film Augure), Mabandla seems to be pretty unstoppable right now.
He’s currently in the midst of touring his new record, and this weekend he graced the stage of Cape Town’s premiere rooftop venue The Terrace Rooftop for two moving, truly beautiful performances. Friday night sold out so quickly he had to add an extra show on Saturday, as fans flocked to witness his raw talent.
Presented by Black Major, Mabandla pulled together a perfect evening, supported by DJ sets from Half ‘n Half, KDOLLAHZ and Blaqkongo. Anyone who has seen Mabandla live will know that he sounds even better in person, his aching falsettos and sensitive showmanship making for an unforgettable experience.
He opened his set with new track “sisahleleleni” – a rich composition built through layers of lulled synth and an almost heartbreaking chorus line, which the crowd couldn’t resist singing along to. At times we out-sung him, and it remained that way the whole night, a kind of dialogue between us and the stage.
Everyone around me was singing as loud as they possibly could, with loving devotion, as though his songs were anthems. We were wrapped up in the romance of it all, love resonating within every single one of us.
He followed with “ukuthanda wena” – also taken from amaXesha – performed alongside producer and bandmate Tiago Correia-Paulo, who brought each track to life with vivid detail. Electronic rhythms have been at the core of Mabandla’s music for a long time, amaXesha especially so, and in a live setting they just sound even better.
Fan favourites “masiziyikelele”, “zange” and “Ndolukandela” appeared like old friends, sweet in the familiar sound they so quickly evoked. Mabandla also offered an impromptu version of “jikezela” – spurred on by the crowd’s persistent chanting to hear the song – while Paulo improvised an extended drum solo at the end which had everyone taken aback. Every time you felt like the track was coming to an end he’d just give even more, riffing off Mabandla’s elated energy with profound skill.
But I think the highlight of the night was “soze”. “Here, sing this with me,” says Mabandla. He gives us a simple three note melody to harmonise with, and we stay there with him as he softly echoes the first words of the song – “Uthando ndalifundiswa nguwe”. You taught me love.
It’s hard to describe all the emotions I felt on Saturday night. I’m sure most of the people there would agree with me, and that’s what made it special. The best music is the kind you can’t put into words, and Mabandla gave that to us with no inhibition.
All photos courtesy of Jonx Pillemer.
