The lockdown period was initially a challenging and frustrating time for singer Judith Sephuma.
“In the beginning we (artists) waited it out thinking, after the very first lockdown, it will settle and things will open up for us. But it just got worse and we had to kick into our creative minds and snap out of it.
“This is what it is, so it has now worked out well for me, eventually, because the frustrations that I had the first 21 days of lockdown got me to start being more creative than I have ever been in my life.” South Africa went into lockdown on March 27.
She started using social media to really connect with her fans and find out how they were doing.
“I started using Instagram and Facebook Live because people also wanted to know how I was doing and to see me. I started doing the live chats, talking to people and just being happy feeling alive. I'm still very strict and I don’t go out except for the necessities.”
She has been planning to have a live online show from the beginning of the lockdown but wanted to first research the best way to do it.
“We got many offers to do an online show but the deals were not worth it for me. As musicians, we could end up doing things out of desperation and then lose a sense of who we are to our fans. I was very careful to not just say yes because I didn't want to sell myself short. I wanted to make sure when we do it, we do it correctly and have control over the brand, Judith Sephuma.”
Sephuma loves intimate performances and this recording of Judith Sephuma in Concert: The Jazz Unplugged is just that. Using three voices, guitar and keyboard to add to her own voice, the show comes alive.
“I love intimate spaces and that's what we did. It's an unplugged session. People always think it has to be acoustic but it's not, it literally means it is unplugged. You don’t have your full band and work on almost a natural sound. Music is actually driven by voice.”
The recorded 66-minute “on-demand” live studio show will allow fans to watch the show at their leisure, any time between August 8 and 22.
For the R120 ticket, fans will experience a stripped-down performance that includes the award-winning singer’s best-known songs such as A Cry, A Smile, A Dance; Mme Motswadi; Maropeng; Music in the Air; and an iconic version of Bridge Over Troubled Water.
The harmonies are created by Kuki Mncube, Tshepang Mofokeng and Thembinkosi Manqele on backing vocals with Devine Mitchell on guitar and Job Thako on keys.
“We have two weeks of the show being online. We didn’t want to rush people. We wanted to give them a chance to enjoy it. We have another show we are going to put out which is already done. With this one, people can purchase a ticket and will be sent a code. That code gives access to one ticket on one device for one view, so you have a chance to watch it from the 8th at 8pm until the last show on the 22nd when it goes offline at 8pm.”
For those who love to see Sephuma sing live, the star said this show would feel just as real.
“We recorded the show and I found it was the best thing I could have done during this time for the brand and for my friends and fans. We made it exciting for people. I got my mind out of thinking there is no one in the audience. I sang to those cameras as if I was looking at that handsome guy or that beautiful girl or that one fan who sings all the lyrics from beginning to end. It’s like Judith is in your lounge with you. You will laugh and have fun. It’s everything that I wanted it to be.”
Tickets are available from Ticketpro and Hero ticket.