Name: Yolanda, aka "yolisang"
Bio: Daughter, Wife, Mother, Blogger, Yolanda Sangweni, the founder of AfriPOP!, is on a quest to craft the sweetest love letter ever written for Africa. In the meantime, her work has appeared in Essence.com, Arise Magazine, Time Out New York, Page Six Magazine and TRACE, where she was a features editor.
Posts by yolisang:
‘Lion King’ Star, Selloane, Talks New Album, ‘Lerato’
September 6th, 2010Like most fantastic vocalists, Selloane Nkhela got her start singing in church, at three years old. The South African native went on to win the “Shell Road to Fame” competition (a throwback version of “American Idol”) in 1995 and later released two gospel-tinged albums, Thel’u moya and Vuma, before joining the Toronto and Los Angeles productions of “The Lion King.” Now settled in New York with a third album “Lerato” (“love” in Sotho), Selloane is ready for her American debut. She spoke with AfriPOP! about her African sound and how the Big Apple inspires her music.
30 South African Female Game Changers
August 9th, 2010
Fifty four years ago, on August 9th 1956 more than 20,000 women of all races marched to South Africa’s Union Building to protest against the imposition of pass laws on women in South Africa. Activists like Albertina Sisulu and Lillian Ngoyi led a group of women to deliver a petition to then prime minister JG Strijdom.
AfriPOP! commemorates South African Women’s Day (August 9th) by highlighting 30 women who have changed the game in their respective sectors — from a new generation to the old, in politics, culture, music and business. We salute you for your courage, and most of all, paving the way.
“Wathint’Abafazi Wathint’imbokodo!” (You strike a woman, you strike a rock) indeed.
Goapele Talks New Album, ‘Milk and Honey’
May 21st, 2010AfriPOPmag: You’re wrapping up your third album, ‘Milk and Honey.’ What’s it all about?
Goapele: I would say this album is more soulful. There’s gonna be some R&B, there’s even a song that I was working on last night that I was like, ‘I can dance to this.’ And then there’s some ballads where the music resonates with something that’s more classic and old school where I’m lyrically and vocally vulnerable. Then there’s some fun and whimsical songs, mainly all love songs.
AfriPOPmag: You’re working with a lot of different producers on this album.
Goapele: I’ve worked with a lot more producers this time then I have in the past, which is really cool. I’m not on a major label anymore so it’s been really inspiring to get to work with producers who do it because they’re interested in my music and not because some executive may have hooked us up. That includes Bobby Ozuna who works with Raphael Saadiq. I started a track with Kanye [West] and one with track with Malay, who works with John Legend, and Bedrock who I worked with on the last album. The list goes on but it’s been nice because I’ve been taking more time with this album and in the past year I’ve just been recording a lot of songs and then I choose which are the best. I’m pretty excited.
AfriPOPmag: You said you’re feeling a little sexier for this time around. Does it have anything to with motherhood?
Goapele: I think motherhood has made me more open and more into myself. I feel that coming into this industry there was a part of me that felt as a woman I needed to be on guard and not let myself be exploited. I think I’m just shedding some of that as I grow and feel like I should be able to do whatever I want. I think as women it’s important for us to express our sensuality just as it’s okay to express our strength and intellect.
Read More…
Get to Know: Iyadede
February 18th, 2010
“Sometimes I wish I was more defined in a way because it makes things more simple,” says Brooklyn-based Rwandese singer Iyadede talking about her electro-pop sound. Influenced in part by Zap Mama (whom she used to sing backup for), part-Cindy Lauper, part-Santigold, the 26-year-old bares her heart over electronic beats tempered with African melodies. “Dede” spoke with AfriPOP! about her journey from genocide survivor to a boundary-busting indie artist.
AfriPOP!: If you could describe your music in five words, what would you say?
Iyadede: I’d say Spontaneous, because we didn’t sit down and say, ‘Okay, we’re gonna think of doing a project that involves a black girl and we’re gonna try to be different. I think my music is Inspired because a lot of it was moments of clarity in the lyrics. It’s Pop, but not in the commercial sense of pop. I’m definitely an 80’s kid and I grew up listening to Johnny Clegg, Gloria Estefan–music that was simple, melodious and colorful in the sound. It’s Modern because I hope I represent some kind of modern woman beyond race, color and origin because I think that’s the way we’re going. I think it’s Genius because I’m thankful for the inspiration that came to me.
Get To Know: Ilo Ferreira
December 4th, 2009What a great surprise to stumble upon Cape Verdian singer Ilo Ferreira in a New York Magazine profile this week. Ilo sound is described as “an upbeat mix of influences from Paul Simon to Elvis, with some African rhythms thrown in.”
We can’t wait to hear more.
Read “Introducing Ilo Ferreira” [NYMag]