Lira’s surprise performance leaves her supporters emotional over her recovery

Lira at the second annual Basadi in Music Awards. Picture: Instagram

Lira at the second annual Basadi in Music Awards. Picture: Instagram

Published Sep 5, 2023

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Award-winning South African musician Lira has been out and about lately as she steps more back into the limelight since suffering a stroke in April 2022 in Germany.

The singer has been making positive steps in her recovery, coming a long way from being diagnosed with aphasia, a disorder that affects how you communicate and can impact speech and comprehension.

She is now able to speak, making constructive sentences, but still struggles with her speech and while she is yet to fully return to the stage.

At the (Rand Merchant Bank) RMB Starlight Classics held at the Country Club Johannesburg in Auckland Park over the weekend, she sang publicly for the first time.

In a clip posted on her social media pages, the show’s co-host Katlego Maboe can be seen leading Lira from the audience and takes her up the stage as the crowd cheers them on.

On the stage, Lira and Maboe join Sunnyboy Dladla and Masabane Cecilia Rangwanasha, who then ask her to recreate their previous performance in Cape Town.

The songstress then humbly agrees to sing along with the talented duo, and they deliver a standing ovation of a performance.

In her post, Lira revealed she has been singing to loosen her tongue, which has helped her speak better.

“This was so surreal. I was keen to try - but I did it 🥰👌🏾. I had the awesome voices of Sunnyboy and Masabane who supported me.

"There’s still a long way to go before I can sing on my own, let alone sing at a full concert, but this is a very positive step in my recovery."

Media personality Jennifer Bala, in her comment wrote that Lira was a “walking testimony” which something plenty of the comments echoed.