Music that opens ears and hearts
I HAD the good fortune of listening to Chad Saaiman at the Station on Bree, an enjoyable evening indeed.
The singer, songwriter and recording artist is living his dream; regardless of the hurdles along the way, the artist has persevered and his nostalgic R&B track, the latest titled Belief, testifies to his unwavering perseverance and subsequent success.
His voice is soothing and his songs emotionally charged.
One gets the sense the artist is expressing deep emotions relating to the experience and the expression of love; the pain inherent in loss, or simply in missing another.
Saaiman’s output includes writing radio singles for some of South Africa’s biggest artists, including Loyiso Bala’s 2012 Sama-nominated track World of Mine, Lance Theron’s Higher and numerous others over the last decade.
His debut album was Chasing Melodies in 2009 through Stereotype Records and received a Sama nomination for the best English Pop Album that year.
The following album, The Flight, included chart-topping singles with the most notable track, Untouchable, being produced by two-time Grammy Award-winner Ron Feemster.
A hijacking almost left Saaiman’s dreams in tatters yet, true to his character, he has surmounted the brutal violence of being shot, and produced some of his best works subsequently.
He has collaborated with top performers such as singer Candice Thornton, the GB collective (Brian Themba, Kelly Kumalo, the Black Ties), Danny K, Auriol Hays, Ashley Valentine, Jimmy Nevis and Mario Ogle, and it’s helped Saaiman refine and develop his craft.
His voice can be described as soulful and the minimal musical backing only adds to the texture and his rich content in the form of heart-felt words.
He has ventured further, and in 2014 he performed around the country. He helped boost certain brand campaigns, including those of Telkom, Edgars and Jack Daniel’s, as well as playing alongside international artists of the ilk of Phil Fearon (UK) and Tevin Campbell (US).
He has had numerous high-profile performances and established a strong television presence, and he adds to the romance of not only music, but fashion and sport.
On a rather philosophical note, the performance at Station on Bree somehow led me to thinking about the difference between visual arts and music. The former is usually static, operating outside of the flow of time; the latter, arguably more accessible, operates within the flow of time. That is, while the visual arts are grasped or seen in an instance – in most cases – music unfolds as time rolls on, as we piece distinct units or sounds as forming a harmony from moment to moment.
This is perhaps why music so easily lends itself to narrative content.
However, over and above that moment of contemplation, it was the feel of the music that stirred.
Unperturbed by a slight hiccup in the sound system, Saaiman returned smoothly once it was fixed. One intuits that he is living his music.
His vision is embracing, inclusive and optimistic. It is also tasteful and gentle. On that basis alone, I am sure this local talent has an interesting and successful journey ahead.
Belief can be downloaded from Apple Music and across all digital platforms. It is sure to open ears and hearts.
Perhaps a music video, a wonderful art form in itself, is the next step?