Swazi Dlamini bares her soul
Swazi Dlamini has become a force to be reckoned with in the South African music scene over the past decade.
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JOBURG SOUTH: TRUE to form, Dlamini celebrates her 10 year anniversary as a solo artist with yet another moving, even epic, body of work on her latest album, Soul of Me.
Dlamini first exploded onto the scene as a solo-artist in 2003, with her infinitely memorable album, My First Love. She took the local music scene by storm with her powerful vocal ability and her mesmerising, moving interpretation of music and lyrics. The album garnered her a SAMA win as Best Female Artist of 2004. She also walked away with the KORA Award for Most Promising African Female Artist in the same year.
So began a magnificent career for Swazi Dlamini. Every album since her debut has been critically acclaimed and commercially successful. She has been nominated for several more SAMA awards over the last decade and she has continued to nurture her talent, fan base and love of music in that time.
This journey culminates in Dlamini’s latest offering, Soul of Me, an album that inspires, uplifts and displays Swazi Dlamini’s effortless brilliance.Take a dedicated music fan, let her sit comfortably in her lounge, slip Soul of Me into the CD player and soon that fan will be raving about the vocalist’s faultless singing as a new American singer who’s fully bearing the legacy of Jill Scott and Erykha Badu. But, it’s Swazi Dlamini – soulful, intimate, empathetic and truly emotional.
Like Jill Scott or Erykha Badu, Swazi Dlamini is a singer who has never confused emoting with screaming. Her low-register, intimate and blue note voice emotes far more effectively for the modern sensibility. Sophisticated, urbane, cosmopolitan: Soul of Me is underscored by complex arrangements with production depth that rewards repeated listening.
In a musical landscape plagued by short lifetimes, Soul of Me sees Swazi Dlamini reaching a befitting milestone as solo artist – her tenth anniversary, demonstrating longevity of an artist at her peak powers.
“We are, as always in awe of Swazi’s talent,” says Wandile Sikhosana from Universal Music South Africa. “We are very happy to have her onboard as part of the world-class talents in our stable. Soul of Me is an extraordinary album from an extraordinary lady,” he adds.
Soul of Me is currently in stores countrywide below is the full track listing:
Full circle, Impilo, So glad, Umqondisi, Vulinhliziyo, Eagle wings, Love of my life, Worthy of praise, Love in bloom, So amazing, Life is going on, Bring it back, Rise.
For more information on Swazi Dlamini visit her social media pages: Facebook Swazi-Dlamini, Twitter: @SwaziDlamini