An outstanding register, a stage presence other artists can only dream of, a versatility almost unheard of in South Africa as she often spans genres in a single performance with such ease. She is one of those artists it simply is impossible to pin to a single genre. A voice that can be intense like her life depended on it and yet free as the breeze from the shores of the Friendly City, where she hails from. Asanda Mqiki is simply a marvel.
An alumni of Rapp Studios in Port Elizabeth under the tutelage of Brown Nel, it’s only natural that she will merge both her professional and raw ancestral- given talent to create a uniqueness that lands her invitations to the best performance stages both in South Africa and as far as Sweden. With a Gold Ovation award at the National Arts Festival, Eastern Cape MEC Awards and numerous recognitions such as the espAfrika espYoungLegends under her belt, Asanda is one on a lane of her own.
Asanda performed regularly with acapella group The Soil, she was a lead vocalist for Take Note, with whom she released two albums and wowed the South African Joy Of Jazz festival. Mqiki’s first solo album was released to international acclaims, in September 2018. With that body of work, she would be recipient of invitations to more prestigious stages sharing them with the likes of Sibongile Khumalo, Freshly Ground, Khaya Mahlangu Bongeziwe Mabandla and more.
She has been busy exploring her other creative abilities and putting successful projects together, with extensive work in Cape Town. Today (Saturday, 4, Dec, 2021) she shares not only her journey but news on the release of her latest work.
Slyso caught a snippet of one of the singles from the upcoming album and insisted that Asanda features on his Umhlobo Wenene FM radio show, Iqonga Labatsha (#IQL) As carefree as she always is, Asa indulged Slyso and joins him for a chat and that snippet of the single. Catch the interview, tonight on 88-106 Nationwide at 20h15 and news about her upcoming performances, which include the Vocal Explosion Vol.3 at @The One Room, on Westbourne Road, Nelson Mandela Bay on the 11th of December.
Asanda Mqiki booking details : mqikia@gmail.com