PICK YOUR FAVOURITE AT THE SECOND ANNUAL VERSE OF THE YEAR AWARDS

 Following the success of the inaugural Verse of the Year Awards last year, popular urban music website SlikourOnLife today announced the return of the awards set to take place next week. 

The first of its kind accolade event, the Verse of the Year Awards were created last year following the popularity of the “Verse of the Month” show hosted by Stogie T on the SlikourOnlife (www.slikouronlife.co.za) platform. People just loved it, and so the awards were born. 

Once again the search is on to find and honour the sharpest MC’s in the game over the past year.

Ten winning artists with the hottest verses will each be honoured at an exclusive and intimate event in Johannesburg next week. These winners are selected by a panel of judges including founder Stogie T; artist Zubz, Okay Africa’s Sabelo  Mkhabela, and The Plug Magazine's Mercia Tucker. 

The Hennessey People’s Choice Award will be based purely on public vote and the recipient will also be honoured on the night. Last year A-Reece took the award and this year fans and friends alike can vote on the various social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) using the #VOTY2018 with their selection of artist and track. 

For more info see below - https://goo.gl/jWPhFf

“We are excited to be hosting these awards again to acknowledge the best in the game. The Verse of the Year Awards was set up to honour MC’s for their sharp and intelligent rhymes. No doubt 2018’s selection is even fresher than the previous year”, said co-founder Stogi T and added “I’m also really looking forward to the People’s Choice Award this year so get those votes in.”

This year the awards are being held on Thursday, the 13^th of February in Johannesburg.  

SingularityU South Africa Aims to Future-Proof Africa Through the Finance Sector

''Africa needs to come to grips with owning her future. If there is no plan for the future, then it is quite likely that there is no hope for the future.'' - Dr. Geci Karuri-Sebina.

Dr. Geci Karuri-Sebina is part of the Singularity University South Africa faculty, and focuses on Future of Cities and Governance. She is one of the speakers who will be at the inaugural Exponential Finance Summit to be hosted by SingularityU South Africa, in collaboration with The Development Bank of Southern Africa, Deloitte, Discovery, and MTN.

The Summit will address topics such as how exponential technologies influence digital and cashless banking, mobile payment solutions, AI, and big data-driven financial solutions. 

6 February 2019: SingularityU South Africa – is renowned for its sold-out SingularityU South Africa Summits that aim to #futureproofAfrica – is bringing the highly anticipated inaugural Exponential Finance Summit to South Africa. The two-day summit will bring an industry focus to the financial sector, to help create a better future for all Africans.

The Exponential Finance Summit will address ways exponential technologies can help solve global challenges through the lens of the financial sector. The Summit focuses on how exponential technologies are disrupting the financial industry. It aims to equip attendees with the latest insights into how to encourage GDP growth, create employment, and attract foreign investment.

“SingularityU South Africa convenes the world’s experts to introduce them to exponential technologies and equip them with the mindset and leadership needed to take the finance industry into the future,” said Rob Nail, CEO and associate founder of Singularity University. “We expect these two days will incite and inspire action that will lead to breakthroughs in Africa’s economy.”

Over 20 of the world’s foremost innovators in technology, finance, and investment will take to the stage, where they will address topics such as how exponential technologies influence cashless banking, AI, robotics, the future of work, and automation within an African marketplace. 

“As part of our journey in future-proofing Africa, we are thrilled with our next SingularityU South Africa Summit iteration that will focus solely on the financial sector. The timing is crucial for South Africa to learn, network, and collaborate using exponential technologies so as not to get left behind,” said Shayne Mann, co-CEO of SingularityU South Africa. 

“With the Exponential Finance Summit, we hope to facilitate meaningful networking connections on a global scale, encourage ideas that can change the financial world, stimulate the South African economy, and kickstart a strong venture capital ecosystem. Impact is the currency of the future,” said Mic Mann, co-CEO of SingularityU South Africa.

The Exponential Finance Summit will focus on creating an economically-inclusive future, whereby partnerships and deals can be conceptualised and developed across the continent. Networking opportunities will allow attendees to reconnect with fellow SingularityU alumni, and expo exhibitors will present breakthrough ideas and investment opportunities.

Speakers include newly-appointed SingularityU South Africa faculty members, including Tanya Knowles, Dr. Geci Karuri-Sebina, Benjamin Rosman, andAshley Anthony. The Exponential Finance stage also will be shared with global Singularity University faculty experts in the financial field, as well as some of the world’s top investors, risk managers, and financial advisers. 

These experts include Cathy Wood, CEO and founder of ARK Invest; Sonia Arrison, founder of 100+; and cybersecurity expert Jaya Baloo. Manu Sharma, founder of Labelbox, which manages training data, will be speaking alongside Paul Pagnato, who was ranked by Forbes as one of the top 30 global wealth advisors in 2017.

Save the Date for the inaugural Exponential Finance Summit South Africa

When: 29 – 30 May 2019

Where: Cape Town International Convention Centre, 1 Lower Long Street, Cape Town

Cost: Early adopter tickets: R16 650, Early adopter enhanced: R26 550; Standard tickets: R18 500, Standard enhanced: R 29 500; Late mover tickets: R20 350; Late mover enhanced: R32 450. Tickets limited to 1,000 attendees.

What to bring: An exponential mindset and your networking skills

REGISTER here

Mango Groove announce second date at The Teatro Montecasino

Hot 91.9FM announced today that, due to an overwhelming response to the Mango Groove 30^th Anniversary Concert at the Teatro at Montecasino on Friday March 8, a new date has been added! The second concert date is Saturday, 9 March.

Mango Groove lead vocalist, Claire Johnston, spoke to the “Mansfield in the Morning” team on Hot 91.9FMs breakfast show on Wednesday and said that  “2019 is a big year for us as we will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the release of our very first album, ‘Mango Groove’”.

Host Jeremy Mansfield was delighted to announce after the band’s interview on the show that “[T]he 1^st concert is officially sold out and a new date has been added!’

The ‘Mango Groove’ album became one of SA’s biggest-selling albums (over 25-times Platinum) and included hits that remain part of the soundtrack of SA’s journey over the last three decades – ‘Special Star’, ‘Dance Some More’, ‘Hellfire’ and ‘Move Up’.

Information:

• Mango Groove’s 30th Anniversary Concert @ The Teatro, Montecasino, Fourways (Johannesburg)
• Friday, 8 March 2019 – SOLD OUT
• Saturday, 9 March 2019 - Tickets from R300 now available at Computicket.

For more information on the tour go to:

www.hot919.co.za

Real Concerts presents The Mango Groove 30th Anniversary Concert

Mango Groove and Real Concerts are delighted to announce that Mango Groove will be performing a once-off, spectacular 30^thAnniversary Concert at the Teatro Theatre at Montecasino on Friday, 8 March 2019.

In the words of Mango Groove’s lead vocalist, Claire Johnston: “2019 is a big year for us as we will be celebrating the 30^th anniversary of the release of our very first album, Mango Groove. With this in mind, it seemed right to us that we put on a high production concert that showcases the highlights, memories and moments of that album, as well as performing all the other Mango songs that people have come to know and love through years.”

The Mango Groove album, in fact, went on to become one of SA’s biggest-selling albums of all time (well over 25-times Platinum), and produced a string of hits that to this day remain part of the soundtrack of South Africa’s journey over the last three decades including ‘Special Star’, ‘Dance Some More’, ‘Hellfire’, ‘Move Up’, and many more.

That first album release created the platform for what was to become a meteoric rise to fame for Mango Groove, and it paved the way for a host of achievements that set new precedents and records that still stand today:

• The successive releases of several more albums and hit singles, including ‘Hometalk’, ‘Moments Away’, ‘Another Country’, ‘Nice to See You’, ‘Bang the Drum’ and their latest album release ‘Faces to the Sun’;
• Setting new live performance benchmarks for all SA artists, being the only SA group ever to sell out the Sun City Superbowl and the Standard Bank Arena six times each;
• The band was the first to redefine live staging and production standards for SA acts; the first to command a million rand sponsorship deal, and were the first and only group to remain at the top of the SA national sales charts for over a year;
• Internationally, Mango Groove’s unique and magical blend of South African marabi, kwela and pop influences, together with the voice and presence of Claire Johnston went on to captivate audiences around the world:
• Highlights of their career include the direct satellite link- up to the Freddie Mercury tribute in London (to an estimated audience of a billion people); their performance in front of 200 000 people at the Paris “SOS Racism” concert; and their performance at the renowned Montreux Jazz festival where the band received 3 encores. From London to Hong Kong to
• From Toronto to Sydney, the band has played to sell- out crowds around the world.
• Mango Groove was given the honour of being the only South African (indeed African) act to be invited to perform at the ‘Celebrate Hong Kong ‘97’ Reunification Concert.  This historic event, part of the official celebrations commemorating the hand-over of Hong Kong to China, was televised world-wide and immortalised on a commemorative CD. It was followed up, in fact, by Mango Groove being the only SA act to perform at the globally-televised concert commemorating the handover of Macau to China.
• Mango Groove was also especially proud to have been associated with the ABC world- wide broadcast of Nelson Mandela’s release where their music was used as the main theme. A few years later they headlined at his inauguration.
• Mango Groove has long been aware of music’s unique power to change people’s hearts and minds, and through the years the band has raised hundreds of thousands of Rands for issues such as literacy, terminally ill children and conservation.

In founder member John Leyden’s words: “In terms of finding the ideal partner for what is truly a very special event for us, working with Real Concerts again made perfect sense…Serendipity at its best! It was this very partnership that properly launched Mango Groove on a grand scale to SA markets in 1989, and it was a partnership that then powered its way through the host of precedent-setting achievements in the years that followed.”

What can we expect from the show itself, then? “Yes, the show will be a veritable memory-fest, and it will truly be a joyful celebration of all the Mango songs we have come to love through the years: All of this backed up, of course, with the best possible live production, dancing and performance standards. As importantly, though, it will be a celebration of South African-ness in all its glorious diversity: who we were, our transition, the great ongoing South African journey, who we are today, and what is still so possible for us as a country. This show really will move you in so many different ways,” comments Roddy Quin of Real Concerts.

Mike Page, GM of Montecasino, says, “Montecasino and the Teatro are thrilled to be hosting such a momentous concert, marking Mango Groove’s 30 amazing years of enchanting South Africans and indeed the world with their very special sound. Montecasino is all about delivering memorable experiences to every visitor – and this event will fit that bill perfectly. We look forward to welcoming the band and the heart-warming and joyful celebration of one of country’s favourite sounds.”

Mango Groove’s 30^th Anniversary Concert @ The Teatro, Montecasino, Fourways (Johannesburg).  Tickets from R300 now available from Computicket. 

#MangoGroove30

Grassy Spark Flex Their Electronic Muscles In New Single “Flow”

“Grassy Spark – Flow” available online now from https://Grassy-Spark.lnk.to/Flow

Grassy Spark (L-R Simon Ackerman, Yanick Bathfield, Kevin Kok, Josh Riley, & Lawrence Jaeger  Photo by Tyler McGowen Grassy Spark continue to adapt in the ever-changing current of being an artist. Grassy Spark’s new direction is very much weighted in the element of water and “Flow” is a shining example of where their heads are at creatively. “The song emulates the metaphor of water – its force is such that you cannot stop it, but only flow with it. Through the exploration of electronic sounds, the metaphor of flowing like liquid or water perfectly describes where we are at as artists - moving with the current and enjoying the ride,”Yanick explains when questioned about the song’s origin. Teaming up again with Tutti Espi, the turn around time for “Flow” was just over a month, in comparison with the 6 month turn around time it took to create “The Candy”, which Tutti also produced. With Yanick Bathfield seizing the vocal reigns on “Flow”, his laidback style of delivery only further serves to reinforce their call for you to find your individual groove. Listen to “Flow” here. “The intention is to explore another dimension of Grassy Spark that does not conform to preconceived rules. Much like “The Candy”, our goal is to create a rule then break it, and to reinterpret recycled ideas which move beyond the spectrum of music and rather into that of broad artistry. The concept that we want to cut through is fluidity in motion – mind, body and spirit – never accepting what is and always chasing what could be,” comments Yanick. Refusing to be pigeonholed as a specific type of act, through their new single, Grassy Spark continue to play with the idea that their core sound cannot be defined. Grassy Spark Links: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube

Ultra Angels South African Auditions

The 6th annual ULTRA SA music festival will be taking South Africa by storm and for the first time in the country, the Ultra Angels are hosting auditions looking for SA’s very own Angel!

If you think you have what it takes to be our next Ultra Angel, then auditions will be  taking place on 28 February 2019.

For more information and to pre-register visit the site below 

https://ultraangelsauditionsouthafrica.splashthat.com/

ANDREA BOCELLI SOUTH AFRICAN TOUR CONFIRMED

One of the world’s biggest classical stars Andrea Bocelli has confirmed two South African tour dates in 2019:

Johannesburg: 18^th April 2019 at the Ticketpro Dome

Cape Town: 22^nd April 2019 at Val de Vie Estate, Paarl

All press pics here:  Andrea Bocelli visual material

Tickets go on sale Friday 25^th January 2019 at 9am from Big Concerts and Computicket. Discovery Card holders get an exclusive 48 pre-sale from 23^rd January 2019 at 9am. Go to www.discovery.co.za for more info.  Presented by CapeTalk, 702 and Channel 24.

Andrea Bocelli has recorded 15 solo studio albums of both pop and classical music, three greatest hits albums and nine complete opera. For his latest release ‘Si’, Andrea Bocelli has teamed up with some of the hottest musical stars on the planet – reuniting with his friend Ed Sheeran after their chart-topping ‘Perfect Symphony’ on a brand new song called ‘Amo Soltanto Te’ (written by Ed with lyrics by Tiziano Ferro) and joining with pop sensation Dua Lipa on the single ‘If Only’. Crossover superstar Josh Groban and classical soprano Aida Garifullina also duet with Bocelli on the record,. It is his first album of new material in 14 years – 16 brand new songs which celebrate love, family, faith and hope.

At the centre of the new record is a spine-tingling duet between father-and-son, as 20 year-old Matteo Bocelli steps into the limelight to duet with Andrea on ‘Fall On Me’ – a beautifully poignant song which reflects the bond between parent and child. Andrea explains how his voice compares with Matteo’s: “Technically they are very different, but there is one thing that makes them most similar: the attitude. That characteristic way of expressing yourself through your voice. This makes Matteo and I very similar. But that is something that you cannot learn, that cannot be taught. That is something you are born with.”

Bocelli’s humble manner belies his international status as one of the world’s biggest classical stars – he’s sung for Popes, Presidents and royalty, performed in all the greatest concert halls and opera houses around the world, and sold 85 million records. He has performed at major international events including the Olympic Games and the World Cup, as well as his own sell-out arena shows. He has a Golden Globe, 7 Classical BRITs and 7 World Music Awards under his belt, plus a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Drawing millions in with his popular crossover appeal, Bocelli has collaborated with a host of A-list pop stars including Céline Dion, Tony Bennett, Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lopez, Nicole Scherzinger, and many more. He also wowed UK football fans with a performance for Claudio Ranieri’s Premier League-winning Leicester City at the King Power Stadium in 2016. Bocelli continues to tour the world with major shows in the US, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Canada, Ireland the UK and now South Africa, where fans will have the opportunity to hear his new music.

Andrea Bocelli is proud to return to South Africa where he will be performing with a full 140-piece symphony orchestra and choir. In Johannesburg, he will perform with the Johannesburg Festival Orchestra and the Symphony Choir of Johannesburg and in Cape Town with the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir. The concert will be split into 2 parts. For the first part, fans will get to experience Andrea Bocelli perform some of the most famous opera arias. The second part will be dedicated to his most popular hit and crossover songs for a once in a lifetime evening. Matteo Bocelli will also be joining his father to perform the duet ‘Fall On Me’.

“Get Andrea Bocelli’s much anticipated new album “Si” here: https://umgafrica.lnk.to/AndreaBSDeluxe

www.andreabocelli.com

Ticketing Information:

Johannesburg

18^th April 2019

Ticketpro Dome

Ticket from R1,140

Platinum seats @ R4,295 per person

• Prime seat ticket in the first 3 rows in blocks FB and FC
• Does not include merchandise, parking, or hospitality

Blue Wing Hospitality @ R4,995 per person

Prime seated ticket in Bleacher N Exclusive access to Blue Wing Hospitality facility

Concert Cocktail Menu, buffet style

Premium Bar Service

PARKING 1:2 (Parking block A&B) Halaal/ Kosher meals available on request - contact Ticketpro Dome at 011 794 5800

Tickets and hospitality available from www.bigconcerts.co.za starting Friday 25^th January 2019 at 9am

Cape Town

22^nd April 2019

Val de Vie Estate

Tickets from R1,140

Platinum seats - R3,995 per person

• Prime seat ticket in the first 3 rows in blocks FB and FC
• Does not include merchandise, parking, or hospitality

Platinum Hospitality – R4,795 per person

• Prime seated ticket in Block B (Rows 4-9), Block C (Rows 4 – 11) and Block D (Rows 4-9)
• French champagne reception
• Premium three course buffet
• Complimentary premium bar
• Desserts and coffees
• Fully staffed private suite facility (before, during and after the show)
• Upmarket décor and furniture
• Platinum parking nearest to venue (ratio 1:2)

 Gold Hospitality Package – R4,295 per person

• Prime seated ticket in Block B (Rows 10-15), Block C (Rows 11-18) and Block D (Rows 10-15)
• Delectable three course buffet
• Complimentary local bar
• Fully staffed private suite facility (before, during and after the show)
• Cocktail style furniture
• Gold parking nearest to venue (ratio 1:4)

The polo field of Val de Vie Estate, enfolded by three awe-inspiring mountain ranges, will act as the natural open-air amphitheatre for the first ever concert of Andrea Bocelli in the Western Cape.  Set against a symphony of sunset colours, attendees of the exclusive event can expect a unique experience in one of the most beautiful settings in Africa.  

Val de Vie is situated within 35 minutes from Cape Town International Airport and 40 minutes from Cape Town. The town of Paarl is 8 minutes away and Franschhoek 15 minutes. Three gates allow access to the estate, including the new Berg River gatehouse and bridge that connect the estate to the R45 Simondium road and a short distance from Stellenbosch, only 15 minutes away.

Tickets and hospitality available from www.bigconcerts.co.za starting Friday 25^th January 2019 at 9am

ASHLINN GRAY – MY GUCCI JEANS HAVE MADE YOU NASTY

Are you ready for Ashlinn Gray 2.0?

The South African born singer songwriter has come a long way since her humble beginnings in 2015. Making her industry debut when she was just 16, Ashlinn has, over the years, matured and grown as an individual, as well as in her art.

The edgy artist is embracing her unique power, and unapologetically so, with the release of STFU. In a world that dictates how we are to behave, to dress, to talk and to live, Ashlinn says “to hell with that.” Not wanting to succumb to the pressure of the naysayers, the haters, Gray is making her mark once and for all, taking a defiant stand and above all else, taking a risk.

The new single, which was produced by Abe Dertner in LA, USA, is a mix of rock, pop and hip hop. It’s highly unpredictable, harsh and unforgiving, but her magnetic vocals provide a fragment of hope and familiarity: the innocence of youth navigating their way through life’s hurdles and the tricky task of establishing one’s identity.

“We are all trying to figure our shit out,” Ashlinn says. “I’m here to own it. Embrace it. Communicate it. Speak to it. We can all help each other figure life out but I’m not here to pay any mind to those who are going to rain on my good vibes with their negativity fountain.”

Listen to the track here (explicit version)

STFU Official Audio 

STFU Official Audio Ashlinn Gray - STFU (Official Audio Video) Produced by Abe Dertner Graphic Designers: Dayna McFarlane Video Edit...

Listen to the track here (radio edit)

The Hottest Year on Record

In the four years since Hot 91.9fm switched on the microphone and lit up the airwaves, the station has reached many milestones, however none more so than in 2018.

In a wide-ranging interview, station founder and Managing Director, Lloyd Madurai, enthused over Hot 91.9’s achievements in the year that was. “It was a great year for the station starting with the prestigious “Station of the Year” gong at the annual Liberty Radio Awards, for the second consecutive year. It didn’t stop there as Hot 91.9 FM scooped the “Small Business of the Year” and the “Small Business Champion” awards, no mean feat considering that there are 180.000 small businesses in the country”. In keeping with his modest self, Lloyd underplayed his induction into the “Radio Hall of Fame”, the youngest recipient ever to receive this accolade. Instead he cited the tremendous support from the station staff and listeners alike that made this recognition possible.

With community outreach and involvement at the core of its business philosophy, Hot 91.9fm launched its “Touching 100 Lives” campaign in July to celebrate Nelson Mandela`s centenary. “We asked ourselves the question - what would Madiba have done?  We believed he would have wanted to make a tangible difference in people`s lives so we tailored our campaign to echo that sentiment “. During that month Hot 91.9fm fulfilled 100 community wishes ranging from small projects like effecting car repairs for needy persons & organisations to assisting small entrepreneurs to grow their business, including that of a polio survivor who handmakes toys for children. “We feel particularly proud of this initiative which underscores our commitment to sustainability in everything that we do”.

In November 2018 Hot 91.9fm launched their new breakfast show, `Mansfield in the Morning` with host Jeremy Mansfield. A long-time industry veteran Jeremy had been off radio for 9 years but joined the station as he shares Hot 91.9FM`s core belief to make a difference in the community. Popular and colourful, his no-holds-barred approach to “Joburg`s Hottest Breakfast Show” is sheer entertainment.

The station’s annual Teddy-thon at Sandton City was spectacularly successful: In 2017 the amount raised was just over R1 million for community and poverty relief programs. In 2018 the station raised the bar to R1.5 million but instead raised a staggering R2.1 million illustrating not only their commitment to community upliftment but also the tremendous support of listeners who flocked to the venue and flooded the phone lines with monetary pledges. Lloyd feels that the listeners believe in the Hot 91.9fm brand and wholly support where they are going with their community campaigns. The money raised also enables ongoing funding for Hot Cares for the next two years. Hot Cares is our sustainable campaign that among other projects funds a creche in the Kya Sands informal settlement and supplies soup kitchen meals to hundreds of needy people in Randburg on a weekly basis.

The “Mansfield in the Morning” team wrapped up 2018 with The Christmas Wish, a project close to Jeremy Mansfield. Jeremy is a larger than life personality who is strongly associated with charitable causes and personifies the meaning of philanthropy.  With Hot 91.9 providing a solid, sustainable platform with a track record of community involvement, the Hot 91.9fm Christmas Wish is a perfect fit for the station.

Like everything the station undertakes, The Hot 91.9FM Christmas Wish is a reminder to listeners and all South Africans that, in the words of Nelson Mandela, “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”

The Hot 91.9fm brand is set to expand in 2019, targeting both range and frequency terrestrially, however their growth online has been nothing short of phenomenal.

For more information on Hot 91.9FM go to:

www.hot919.co.za

Facebook: @Hot919FM

Instagram: @hot919fm

Twitter: @Hot919fm