Top SA artists Performing Live This Holiday Season at Festive Lights Switch-On in The Mother City – Cape Town

Cape Towns biggest free open-air event will take place at the Grand Parade on Sunday, 2 December 2018, from 4pm. Each year, thousands of locals and visitors enjoy the festive mood of this fun outdoor event, watching a range of entertainers light up the event with their energy and music for everyone to enjoy.

• This exciting line-up will include:
• Dr Victor & The Rasta Rebels
• DJ Loyd
• Sarah Theron
• Yanga
• Kunjalo
• The Unknown Dance Crew
• Robin Pieters featuring Elwira Standili
• Emo Adams
• YoungstaCPT
• Shekhinah
• Kwesta

Each act has impacted on the local creative arts scene, and highlights just how every one of us can share in shaping a dynamic South African identity.

With numerous accolades, such as “Best City in the World”, “One of the Most Innovative Cities in The World” and most recently being named the “World’s Leading Festival and Events Destination”, Cape Town is seen as the city of inspiration. Now Capetonians are called upon to think about how best to #BeInspiring – how to use your specific talents to transform our world into a prosperous and unified space for all.

There’s no better icon to galvanise one into action other than the late Nelson Mandela. This year marks what would have been Madiba’s 100th birthday and, to honour his centenary, South Africans are encouraged to reflect on his life and legacy. This is the time to rekindle our common desire to do good, and to help the less fortunate in practical ways – to be motivated by the legacy Madiba left to future generations.

There are many ways of answering the call to ‘find the Madiba in you’, and the festive lights switch-on is the perfect time to symbolically reinforce this commitment.

I am sure the line-up for the event will have young and old well entertained for the evening:

Dr Victor & The Rasta Rebels

For more than 20 years, multiple award-winning Dr Victor (Victor Khojane) has been crafting and creating elevating, up-tempo sounds that have garnered this singer, musician, songwriter and producer, many devoted fans all over the world. Starting out his music career in school with a band called CC Beat – that was heavily influenced by the likes of Afro pop and American pop – secured a recording contract to release an album in 1984. This first album was not well received but this did not deter Dr Victor as later they were signed to another label, which saw them working with the likes of Yvonne Chaka Chaka, progressing to recording their first pop reggae album in 1991 featuring the hit-maker, Gimme Hope Jo’Anna, tribute to Eddie Grant. It was with this album that the group changed their name to the iconic Dr Victor & the Rasta Rebels, by which they are now universally known.

Aside from the band’s music prowess, Dr Victor has also released a number of solo projects, earning him a number of awards and the opportunity to open for international stars such as Paul Simon, Gloria Estefan and Janet Jackson. His latest project (issued in 2014), is the album, I Believe In Love.

DJ Loyd

DJ and TV and radio presenter Loyiso Mdebuka represented Smirnoff at a campus level as a Smirnoff Spin Agent and scooped top honours. As a TV presenter on SABC 2’s Hectic Nine-9, he appeared daily to over 2.5 million viewers. In 2011, he released his first compilation album Afro House, Deep House with DJ Euphonik, titled Euphonik Presents Phuture DJs Volume 1, and became a regular Mixshow DJ on 5fm’s MyHouse. He also founded The Live Out Your Dreams Tour.

Sarah Theron

Singer-songwriter Sarah Theron has been receiving standing ovations for over two decades. A versatile vocalist, she excels in a range of styles. She has been the star of many a pantomime, musical, cabaret and TV show, including Nunsense for Pieter Toerien; a Vita Award-winning solo cabaret titled Yet Another Fat Lady Sings; and Soli & Sarah Se #Mense with Soli Philander. Her music is playlisted on all Afrikaans radio stations in South Africa and Namibia.

Yanga

This Idols SA favourite has amazed both listeners and judges. Yanga’s medley of Avulekile Amasango by the Soweto Gospel Choir left judge Somizi speaking in tongues. His forecast was that Yanga Sobetwa was going to be a superstar. Even Zahara has praised Season 14’s youngest contestant. The 16-year-old wants to be a gospel singer.

Kunjalo

Kunjalo Music Ministries pulls together talented performers from in and around Elsies River. “Kunjalo” means “It is so – all things are possible” in isiXhosa. The group consists of eight vocalists and five musicians. The band has performed at five consecutive Jazzathons, as well as at the Chicago Festival and the Portnet Festival. Kunjalo appeared onstage with Fred Hammond, Donnie McClurkin, Bishop Hezekiah Walker and more. They’ve released six albums.

The Unknown Dance Crew

The Unknown Dance Crew from Ocean View was established in 2010. This ensemble consists of four masked dancers – JP Koopman, Erin Carelse, Brandon Silinda and Carlo Simons. Their standout feature is their use of a theatrical style of dance. The crew has opened for Toya Delazy, Busiswa and Jimmy Nevis. They won second place on SA’s Got Talent and appeared in Ifani’s Ayadelela video.

Robin Pieters featuring Elwira Standili

Robin Pieters has appeared as lead or backing vocalist for the likes of Peaches and Herb, and Cece Peniston. He gained a following while participating in The Voice SA and made a splash with It’s A Love Thing. An Idols SA contestant, Worcester-born singer Elwira Standili is a recording artist and motivational speaker. She successfully staged African Queen – The Future at the Baxter this year.

Emo Adams

Emo Adams celebrated 30 years in music in March, when JAG (Just Another Band) looked back on three decades of Emo’s career. Starting out in musical roles such as in District 6: The Musical and Kat & The Kings, Emo has a knack for making his shows extra special. He’s embraced the TV medium with Noot Vir Noot, Malan en Kie and the Emo 30 Show for kykNET.

Youngsta

YoungstaCPT has 30 mixtapes and numerous EPs under his belt. The man is regarded as one of the most important South African emcees of his generation. His sound is dubbed “Kaapstad”, and he takes listeners to unexpected places nuanced by his specific slang. He teamed up with fellow rapper Irshaad Ally for Dala Wat Jy Moet for hard-hitting film, Nommer 37.

Shekhinah

2018 has been a great year for Shekhinah Donnell, with her nomination for six SAMAs, and achieving three wins. Her Rosegold album is currently certified gold and she is optimistic this will grow in light of her partnership with Spotify. The Durban-born pop/R&B vocalist has appeared on Idols and has clocked up hits like Back to the Beach and Let You Know. In 2016 she featured on Black Coffee’s single, Your Eyes, plus on Jesse Clegg’s Breathing.

Kwesta

In the 10 years since his first single announced his arrival on the South African music scene, Kwesta has carved out a very unique path for himself, not least of all pushing hip-hop into the South African mainstream. Over this time he has maintained much of the street-cred that made him a revered and undefeated battle rapper before his first recording deal. Releasing chart-topping singles in every popular genre, he is now putting all that experience to use grooming the next generation of African rap superstars with his label, Rap Lyf Records, which is a legacy project with the aim of exporting African hip-hop to the rest of the world.