Pretoria jazz singer Tshepo Mosia is set to headline a string of performances at the National Arts Festival from this weekend
|||
Young jazz guru Tshepo Mosia, known by his stage name Tshepo Fela, has been chosen to perform at the National Arts Festival. The 28-year-old from Pretoria North, who was crowned Puisano’s best jazz vocalist for 2013 and 2014 by the Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation, will represent Pretoria in Grahamstown and is set to entertain audiences at the SAfm Sundowner.
The musician, who studied jazz and popular music at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), recently released a debut album titled Multicultural Ideologies. It features 10 tracks, which Mosia described as music that incorporates various African cultures and ideas, hence its title.
The album has raised the bar in the industry – with some jazz greats calling him “a breath of fresh air”. Mosia will enthral fans with his charming performance at the Slip Stream Bar on July 1 and 2 tomorrow as well as Saturday at the SAfm Sundowner on 2 July .
He will also be performing for three consecutive days at the Fringe Club and Fingo Festival from Sunday until July 5. Mosia refers to his connoisseur music as the epitome of the three-dimensional view of South African cultures – having a simple love for music, having a historical culture that encourages a love for music and having studied music to develop a love for it.
He says singing has always been close to his heart, and being given an opportunity to perform gave him a chance to express his love for music. “I have always wanted to do music since I was a child. It started at church when I was singing for the congregation. And today when I perform, I give it my all because music is the career I have always wanted,” he said.
Mosia’s musical journey started when he was young. Between 2007 to 2009, he owned a band called Soul Tique. He later left the group to pursue his studies with TUT in 2012. His single Catch the Moon has recently been released across all major radio stations across the country.
The Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation has endorsed the rare jazz talent by sponsoring his trip to the arts festival and supporting him in his quest to tell more African stories through his music. When not performing, Mosia teaches music at Baviaanspoort Correctional Centre near Pretoria, where he is joined by a choir made up of inmates.
For his next project, he will be working with US-based Khutso Robison, a host on Music for You, a music show in the US.
The Star
