00:01Where is the heart?
00:08Mesmerising and hauntingly soulful,
00:10few artists have shaped the sound and spirit of a generation quite like her.
00:15How has South African singer-songwriter Sompiwe Dana
00:18held the rare space of cultural and music icon for 20 years?
00:24I get a lot of people that come to me and say,
00:28you know, your music saved my life.
00:32My music is not entertainment, it's for healing.
00:37And a lot of people love it as a result of that.
00:41It's been two decades since Sompiwe Dana first graced our earwaves with her debut album.
00:46Singing in her mother tongue, Iskursa,
00:49her songs are soundtracks to struggle, identity, healing and much more.
00:55Themes will range from black consciousness and why we needed it in 1994,
01:01which the song Banjo Biko Street alludes to.
01:13Her critically acclaimed 2006 album, The One Love Movement on Banjo Biko Street,
01:19reflects on the ideals of apartheid activist Steve Biko.
01:23But even with her numerous award wins and global recognition,
01:27it's been an incredibly tough journey.
01:32There have been many times when I've wanted to give up.
01:36It can be an unforgiving space, our industry.
01:40It's got lots of challenges and we could do with more support.
01:46And when I say support, I don't mean, you know, aid.
01:51I mean, play our music so we can earn royalties.
01:57Why are you so besotted with American music?
02:00You know, it, it, it, artists, influential artists are dying poor.
02:09Like Muslim Hlongo. Why?
02:12Because we refuse to play our own music so that artists can get royalties.
02:17And some of us know why this happened.
02:21Right? It was a concerted effort by the apartheid government
02:26to make sure that we,
02:30we do not have a sound that connects us to our roots.
02:35And that's how come they, they introduced en masse American music.
02:42So for me, that's one of the biggest challenges we face.
02:46And I believe that if we could just fix that, we would be fine.
02:52Now at 45, Simpia's music has not only brought solace to others,
02:57but to herself.
02:59My work firstly has empowered me.
03:04I come from a poor background, to put it lightly.
03:10You know, I grew up having to go to school with no shoes.
03:14I didn't have a voice before.
03:18Music has given me a voice.
03:22I was suddenly somebody, you know.
03:25I grew up extremely shy.
03:28I think because of my poor background.
03:32And that is why I think I treat music with such reverence.
03:38As a Sangoma or spiritual healer,
03:41Simpia's home studio is her sacred space.
03:44All who wish to enter must remove their shoes as a sign of respect to the ancestors.
03:48This is my studio.
03:51It also doubles as my Ndumba.
03:56Ndumba is basically a spiritual healer's space.
04:03I mainly use it to communicate and commune with my ancestors.
04:14By speaking and singing openly about her mother's passing during the COVID-19 pandemic,
04:19Simpia has shown that struggle belongs on every stage.
04:25It was a dark time.
04:28It was a very dark time.
04:30I lost so much weight.
04:31You can see I'm small already.
04:33As my way of grieving, I did Moya, the project Moya, the one that's over there.
04:43Moya, meaning air or breath, is the title of Simpia's acclaimed music and dance production.
04:50It was, essentially, a call for people to heal.
04:56My mom was a great singer herself.
04:59I still get told, till this day,
05:01we don't care how beautiful you sing, how beautiful you are.
05:05You will never be as beautiful or sing as beautifully as your mom.
05:13So, had it been today,
05:18Uma Maha could have been a huge superstar.
05:29Music has given me this beautiful home that I have.
05:33The album was named after my child, Uzzaz.
05:38And it's one of the biggest songs of my entire career.
05:44Music has opened so many doors that had remained closed to me.
05:50So, I owe music my entire life, basically.
05:56Renowned South African composer and music director, Billy Molama,
06:00recently held the Rebirth of Ubuntu concert featuring local artists in Soulful Song,
06:05celebrating heritage and reminiscing on the path to freedom.
06:09As one of the main acts, Sampiwe Dana's voice is still rising and still relevant.
06:14While many still enjoy her past hits, she is certainly not done.
06:19writer, the Rebirth of Ubuntu.
06:24Rebirth of Ubuntu and the Michelin Madame.
06:24.
06:25.
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