Belinda Davids has been selling out arenas all over the world with her Whitney Houston tribute show, but the South African singing sensation has also managed to squeeze in a project very close to her heart.
Davids is set to heat up the Christmas season with the release of her very first holiday album: Belinda Davids - "I Love Christmas".
Recording the 12-track Christmas album became a special and personal project for Davids when she realised, in recent years, the significance and privilege of being able to spend the festive season with her two children and extended family.
“My touring schedule is so hectic, sometimes I barely have time to breathe, so when I can be at home over Christmas and truly be present with my children it is the greatest gift, and super important to me - it’s the creation of memories,” she says.
With this album Davids wanted to give her fans a taste of what her own earliest Christmas memories were like:
“These are the Classics that were played at Christmas time when I was young. I adore Christmas songs, but they are often so cheesy, so when I sat in the studio I wanted to record those same Classics that are timeless and nostalgic, but with a soulful and playful vibe that reflects the diverse musical influences I had in my upbringing. I think we managed to deliver just that.”
Belinda Davids is ready to wow audiences with a new show & album. Video: Crispin Adriaanse
Some of the festive season classics to expect on the album include: "Silent Night", "Joy to the World", "Away in a Manager", "Do You Hear What I Hear", and "When a Child Is Born".
The Port Elizabeth-born Davids, who just returned from touring the UK and Russia last month, is expected to drop the Christmas album on Wednesday 20 November – the same day of her much-anticipated opening night concert in Cape Town.
"The Greatest Love of All: A Tribute to Whitney Houston" will showcase with orchestral accompaniment at at the Artscape Theatre in the Mother City until 1 December, and is billed as one of the “most anticipated concert performances of the year”.
This show, which was last in Cape Town two years ago, is a firm favourite in the Mother City and Davids is set to yet again impress local audiences in a jaw-dropping musical tribute experience to one of music's most loved-icons.
For Davids, starring in "The Greatest Love of All: A Tribute to Whitney Houston" is the culmination of a life-long connection with the superstar to whom she pays homage.
In respect for Houston’s legacy, Showtime Australia dedicated over 12 months to creating the show. It took over 15 000 auditions in 12 countries to find the right voice.
After winning BBC TV's "Even Better Than The Real Thing" musical contest in 2017, Davids performed at the Apollo Theatre in late 2017, which captivated US radio and TV personality Steve Harvey on stage with her amazing rendition of “I Will Always Love You”. That jaw-dropping performance has been viewed over 25 million times on Facebook to date - cementing Davids as a true global musical icon.
This time round in Cape Town, Davids will be backed by a South African orchestra, dancers and stunning theatrical effects.
Tickets can purchased via Computicket or via Checkers and Shoprite retail stores, countrywide, and range between R250 and R390 each.
"The Greatest Love of All: A Tribute to Whitney Houston" is also set to tour its orchestral concert series to Johannesburg later next year.
The show will perform at The Mandela at Joburg Civic Theatre, from 5- 28 June 2020. Tickets are available now via the theatre box office or by visiting The Greatest Love of All Show.