Amanda Black for Mbombela Jazz Festival

This forms an integral part of MTPA's build-up campaigns towards the province hosting World Tourism Day on September 27, which will be officiated by the minister of tourism, Thokozile Xasa, where all nine provinces will converge in Dullstroom.

Amanda Black. Photo: Citizen

The clock is slowly ticking towards the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency’s (MTPA) live entertainment event, the Mbombela Jazz Festival, to be held at the Mbombela Stadium on September 9.

Last week two of the biggest artists on the line-up, Zimbabwean superstar Oliver Mtukudzi and South African pianist Don Laka, were released. They will be joined by young singer-songwriter, 22-year-old Amanda Benedicta Antony, known to her fans as Amanda Black.
She was born and bred in the Eastern Cape in Mthatha.

VIDEO

Having moved around a lot throughout her childhood, she is a true child of the soil. She lived in both the Eastern Cape and Johannesburg. Her musical influences are a result of her exposure to different ways of life, having attended a number of primary and high schools. She matriculated from Kabega Christian School in Port Elizabeth in 2011.
Amanda enrolled at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University where she took up a course in music studies. She says her mother insisted that she had to study further and the natural option was of course to pursue her greatest passion. She graduated in 2015 with a diploma in music education.

This is Amanda’s early days before she could reach stardom. She still captures hearts of millions of South Africans with her hit song Amazulu. Photo: Quench

It has not been long since she entered the music scene and she has already picked up five nominations in this year’s South African Music Awards (Samas) at the Superbowl, Sun City in North West. She walked away with four of the five awards she had been nominated for, much to the pleasure of her fan base.
She picked up the best newcomer of the year, best female artist of the year and best album of the year. Adding to her silverware is the best R&B/soul/reggae album award that she won on the night, making her a four-time Sama winner on her debut album. This follows having also caused a stir at this year’s Metro Music Awards which took place earlier in February.
Local fans and the throngs of visitors who will attend the jazz festival can expect to listen live to the full set from her debut album, Amazulu which also includes tracks such as “Kahle”, “Mna Nawe”, “Sinazo,” “Lila”, “Buyela Kum”, “Msizeni” and “Separate”.
Tickets are available at Computicket, Shoprite and Checkers at R290 for ordinary tickets and a VIP package is available for R2 000.