Eastern Cape Mini-Tour with Thandeka Mfinyongo, Odwa Bongo & Sky Dladla (25 May 2019)

ABOUT

Three incredible Cape Town artists touring the Eastern Eastern Cape and sharing their music. The artists include Odwa Bongo, Thandeka Mfinyongo & Sky Dladla. You will be treated to different sounds of African Music, where the genre is either raw or fused with modern or contemporary styles.

More about the artists:

THANDEKA MFINYONGO

Thandeka Louisa Mfinyongo is a musician born and raised in Nyanga East, Cape Town. Mfinyongo’s love and passion for performing arts started at a very young age while at church. In 2017, she graduated with a Performer’s Diploma in Music and in 2018, graduated with an Advanced Diploma in African Music, both from the University of Cape Town.

Mfinyongo has performed in various stages including the Baxter Theatre and ArtsCape Theatre. In 2008, she joined a drama, dance and music group called Rainbow Arts Organisation and soon after, sang in the His Favour Gospel choir, which recorded an album in 2013. She has performed at the Zabalaza Festival in March 2013 (Baxter Theatre) and in a June 16th musical production at ArtsCape Theatre (as part of a collaboration of group of young people from different communities). Mfinyongo also writes and has performed one of her poems at the Land Act 1913 Commemoration which took place at the Homecoming in District Six. In March 2014, she was involved in the International Jazz Festival Skills Development, sponsored by the Department of Arts and Culture. Between 2014 and 2017, she was part of the UCT iBuyambo Ensemble, performing regularly in Cape Town during this period. Mfinyongo is one of the founding members of a musical group called Azanian Aesthetics (2016).

In May 2018, Mfinyongo released her first single called Wenza Ngabom and made her debut on local TV station show called Hectic99 where she performed the song. In August 2018, had her first solo performance at Baxter’s Masambe Theatre. In November 2018, she had the opportunity to perform with the legendary Madosini (known as “The Queen of Xhosa” instruments) and Msaki (a leading SA contemporary musician) as part of an event called ‘At the Feet of a Living Archive’ at Youngblood Gallery in Cape Town.

ODWA BONGO :

Odwa Bongo (Singer, Songwriter, composer, and performer) is a solo artist inspired by Classical music, African music, and Jazz. His music is an experiment of African-soul-feeding sounds, best described as avant-garde. 

In his career, he has worked with the praised Xhopra queen, Mthwakazi Mthwakazi , Morena Leraba , James Bassingthwaighte , Dumama & Kechou, Blackroots Marimbas , Azanian Aesthetics , Cape Cultural Collective , Nesipho , Digital Sangoma and has shared the stage with Zolani Mahola (Freshlyground singer) in a few occasions. 

He was recently part of the "Salonfestival Cape Town 2019" which originated from Germany and for the first time it was held in South Africa this year. He was also the composer and performer of the music in Klip Kween which was part of Woordfees at the University of Stellenbosch. 

Currently, Mr Bongo is an Alumni of the world renowned Drakensberg Boys' Choir and obtained his Advanced Diploma in Music at the top university in Africa, the University of Cape Town (UCT).