The moon is an intriguing body. Its shape evolves throughout the month, its gravity pulls on our waters, and it shines the light that stirs love and romance. It’s captivating, and on some nights, has a slightly spooky edge. The same, and more, could be said about Moonchild Sanelly.

Despite being told by Idols judges Randall Abrahams and Mara Louw that she wasn’t anything special, Moonchild Sanelly has waxed into a ghetto funk artist bristling with life and authenticity.

Her enigmatic sound is the result of a lifelong self-education in Hip Hop, Kwaito, Jazz, Funk and Dance music. A graduate of the ‘University of Authenticity’, as many call the Durban music scene, her music possesses a soulful individuality that speaks of the drumming circles and spoken poetry performances that marked her time there.

Moonchild is uninterested in packaging herself into a ‘marketable’ product, as prescribed by any number of industry experts. And her current success as an independent, unsigned artist has shown that this is in fact not necessary.

“I don’t want anyone to put a weave on me, and I don’t need to make an English track to gain acceptance from my audience,” she says.

For now, both Moonchild and her current PR representatives are very excited about her prospects for collaboration as an independent artist.

“There are so many people that I would love to work with and I now have the choice to reach out to them. Record labels often gag creative collaboration based on the argument that the collaboration ‘doesn’t make sense’ or ‘isn’t right’,” she explains.

“How can that be true if I am inspired by someone and I believe that we could create something cool together?”

The choice to remain true to herself as an artist, and to not as a brand, has resulted in a diverse body of work that resonates with a wide audience.

The truly remarkable quality of Moonchild Sanelly is the fact that she proudly and authentically lives the new, vibrant and relevant African aesthetic. This new aesthetic recognises what has come before, and is an afropunk movement rich in cultural innovation.

She’s therefore part of the Renaissance that’s redefining what African looks, sounds and feels like.

“When I was studying fashion design, I refused to use traditional prints. I don’t have to do that, or any other obvious thing to be African. Anything that stems from me is naturally African. I don’t need to return to the past to claim my identity. I’d rather evolve from it into an original direction,” says Moonchild.

“This is something that respected musicians like Hugh Masekela and Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse also understand and encourage among the young musicians with whom they work. No one I met whilst touring in Europe was confused about the fact that I was African.”

Most importantly, however, is the fact that her music, infused with her personality, is so damn invigorating. “I want people to feel that they’re bouncing around in a superhero game when they’re listening to my music. I speak about emotional things, but in a happy and empowered way. We’re not sulking or lamenting life. I am ok. And I’m telling you that you’re gonna be ok, too.”

You can connect with Moonchild Sanelly on:

Facebook: Moonchild Sanelly

Twitter: @MoonSanelly

Instagram: @moonchildsanelly

iTunes: Moonchild Sanelly

SA’s most euphoric musical trio Mi Casa has been touring across the country with SA Tourism to discover and celebrate the exciting destinations and activities that their home sweet home has to offer. Accompanied by media and celebrities, they have already visited eight provinces and will conclude their travels this week with a sho’t left to Sun City and the Pilanesberg in the North West Province.

“Through this project we hope to inspire South African to have their own #My1stShotLeft”, says J Something from Mi Casa. “We also have to realise that tourism puts food on people’s tables’, adds Mo-T. “When people travel, job opportunities are created, from the local tourist guide that takes you to the local chesa nyama to the guy that straps you in before you jump off the Soweto Towers. These experiences are not reserved for the rich and famous – they’re accessible to every South African’, Dr Duda concludes.

Mi Casa is famously known for fusing elements fo jazz, house and pop to produce music that sends a groove through people of all ages. The band recently released their double disc album Home Sweet Home. The album features somes of SA’s hottest acts, such as Big Nuz and DJ Tira, and includes the hit collaboration with Euphonik Don’t Wanna Be Your Friend.

The trip promises to be an entertaining one of car solitaire, chilling on the ‘beach’ at the Valley of the Waves, games drives, cable car trips, elephants, monkeys, luxury and a cocktail performance by the band. Follow the SoulProviders social media spaces on Facebook and Twitter to join in on the fun.

Stuart Hendricks (managing editor & sneakily talented photographer) and I (writer & professionally excited fan) will join the band on the last leg of their tour to document the holiday vibes and get you amped about travelling in SA.

by Stuart Hendricks

Streetwear aficionados will be familiar with London-based label, Trapstar, and its edgy, urban aesthetic. Trapstar was created from underground, inner-city subculture, with design influences ranging from cinema, photography and music to contemporary art and military references. Their bold, graphic t-shirts and hoodies, tough leather biker jackets, and LDN-repping caps have become a firm favourite amongst the likes of Rihanna, Rita Ora, Iggy Azalea, A$AP Rocky and Cara Delevingne. The brand has truly become an ambassador for a new era of forward-thinking creative minds.

To add an athletic edge to their non-conformist streetstyle character, Trapstar have partnered with PUMA to reinterpret Trapstar’s gritty silhouette and add a fresh, injection of athleisure that wouldn’t be out of place in London’s white-wall quarters.

The Trapstar X Puma Autumn/Winter ‘16 teaser features the classic PUMA Disc amplified with the iconic ‘white noise’ graphic design of Trapstar. In turn, PUMA’s style has slinked its way into the Trapstar Leadcat. This football-inspired slide is set to become the elevated streetwear item of the year. Completing the teaser trio is the PUMA X Trapstar football jersey.  Produced from the same soft, engineered jacquard, with dry-cell technology, as other football gear, the jersey is a tense clash of inspiration merging functional sportswear with underground attitude. Where you would expect a club emblem you’ll find the Trapstar shield  The white noise print is incorporated as patch inserts, tying the jersey and the other items into a strong capsule range.

The PUMA X Trapstar teaser collection will be available from 17 June 2016 at PUMA SELECT stores in Bree Street, Cape Town and Braamfontein, Johannesburg, as well as selected retailers.

POPArt founders Orly Shapiro & Hayleigh Evans welcome the audience.

POPArt Theatre & Performing Arts Centre celebrated their 5th year in existence this weekend with another instalment of 24 Hours in The City. At 6pm on Friday evening, six writers randomly drew a different genre and began writing six short scripts.

After a speed dating session of sorts between writers, directors and actors, the pieces were cast and rehearsals started on Saturday morning, continuing until 6pm that evening. The end products were a scintillating adventure in dreams, heartache, nostalgia, decadence, laughter and insanity.

Split personalities born from repressed and unfulfilled dreams comfort, and compete for first place in the mind of the main character in A Blemished Mind. In Queens of Yeoville two very different women try very hard to resurrect long-shattered dreams by reminiscing and resenting. Velvet Curtain, a fabulously kitsch soap opera parody featuring Baker Street (UK) as theme song, had the audience in stitches with closeted lesbian lovers, dangerous liaisons, amnesia and attempted murder.

Denel Honeyball & MoMo Matsunyane in Velvet Curtain.

Chris van Rensburg in Leila.

Sound and light effects used in the paranormal noir Leila proved that a stage production can raise the hair on your neck as well as any mystery thriller on screen.

Madness flowered onstage in Who is Michaelangelo?. The audience looks into a flat where a pair of lovers has deteriorated into delusion, isolated irreality and hurtful derision.

Bradley Nowikow, Liswa Ndlovu & Christelle van Graan in Fat Cat.

Kayli Elit in Who is Michaelangelo?

Concluding the evening, Fat Cat – The Musical thrilled the audience with brilliantly exaggerated characters and absurdist metaphors for addiction. Clever, sharp tragicomedy that sidles up to the audience with an ominous sexiness.

Founders Hayleigh Evans and Orly Shapiro have created one of the most edgy cultural spaces in Johannesburg. From the small, poster-clad entranceway that also houses the bar, to the dark performance space where you sit within reach of the acts, POPArt is brimming with all the raw and gritty shimmer of the underground art scene. If that’s something you thought only existed in Paris, London, New York or Berlin, think again – you can find it here at POPArt.

For upcoming shows and events go to https://popartcentre.co.za/ or follow them on: 

Facebook: P.O.P. Art

Twitter: @POPArtJHB

Instagram: @popartjhb

FRAAS – The Scarf Company opened its South African flagship store Wednesday evening in The Mall of Africa in Midrand, Johannesburg.  The name may be unfamiliar to many, but the company is the largest manufacturer of scarves in the world. The word ‘manufacturer’, however, does not do their craft justice. In fact, words generally fail to fully describe the creations you’ll find in the FRAAS boutique. Painstakingly prepared fabrics are finely woven into a range of scarves, wraps, ponchos and ruanas. Each item will enthrall you with a delicacy and a softness so incredible that you will find it virtually impossible to keep your hands to yourself.  As you stroke over the collection of cashmere, silk and virgin wool, it feels as though the fabric caresses you back.

The FRAAS House is built on a near-religious passion for textiles. Established in Germany in 1880 by Valentin Fraas, the company has well over 100 years of innovation experience, woven into every new item. Andreas Schmidt, executive director and 5th generation head of the company, recounts how this continuous innovation process led to the creation of their unique, trademarked fabric known as cashmink: “We didn’t set out to make this or that. But we have always been working towards creating, towards discovering, something new and wonderful. When the weavers first presented this fabric, soft as cashmere with the sheen of mink, someone said ‘This is cashmink’.”

Cashmink® is a synthetic fabric and no animals are harmed in order to obtain the raw materials, making it a sustainable and ethical alternative to real furs.

If you’re bored with simply hanging your scarf around your neck, join FRAAS’s online community and keep an eye out for their new lookbook featuring SA fashionistas and styled by Joburg mode-maker Kennedy Molekwa:

Facebook: FRAAS

Twitter: @fraas_scarf

Instagram: @fraas.scarf

Krishen, fashion correspondent

Imagine what it would be like not to hear a sound – no music, no voices, no laughter. Mphosho Shabangu doesn’t have to imagine it – he lives it every day due to a severe hearing disability.

Mphosho’s family realised that something was wrong when he stopped responding to their voices at the age of about 18 months and showed no further signs of speech development. Shocked and confused, they were initially at a loss to help him. Fortunately, a family member who also had a deaf child suggested certain medical care and education options.

The family had to adapt to this difficult situation, firstly by finding new ways to communicate with Mphosho. Although his family learnt to use sign language, Mphosho was largely isolated from other children and people, and experienced much frustration.

Mphosho was given hearing aids at school, but he had to return these at the end of his school career. A lack of financial resources has kept him in deafening silence since then. His isolation has continued, and many opportunities have been outside his reach. Even free movement is not fully possible for him as he runs the risk of walking in front of approaching cars or injuring himself in the depot where he works as a mechanic for SA Taxi.

Sadly, people have taken advantage of his disability to abuse or steal from him. Because he does not speak, he is unable to assert himself or easily ask for help. His brother Bheki has taken the selfless decision to live with him and keep a watchful eye over his vulnerable brother. Bheki says that even the slightest restoration of hearing would phenomenally change Mphosho’s life. He would be able to engage with people, make friends, stand up for himself and grow his self-esteem. Most touchingly, he would be able to communicate with his grandmother, who cannot use sign language and has never been able to freely communicate with him.
As part of our Making a Difference initiative, we have decided to help one of our own and support Mphosho on his journey towards hearing again. If you would like to help us cover the costs of medical visits, hearing aids and speech classes, please make a donation to the SA Taxi Foundation:

Account Name: SA Taxi Foundation NPC

Account Number: 06 147 0848

Account Type: Business Current Account

Branch Code: 007205

Bank: Standard Bank

Reference: Make Some Noise
If your organisation would like to get involved on a deeper level with our initiative, please contact Nomty Malevu at nmalevu@sataxi.co.za.