TANKISO WENT LIVE
What can we ‘Tankiso Live’? Tankiso Live is Cape Town’s introduction to Tankiso as a writer and composer. I have been writing music for about six years. This is the first time I will be performing a show without doing covers or with the use of backing tracks. I’m working with an amazing band that I met during Aunty Merle: Tyrone Marinus, Keith De Bruyn, Franco Mannel and Yvan Potts. I will also be joined by Sizwesandile Mnisi (The Fall, Woza Albert), Cleo Raatus (The Fall, District 6 Kanala) and Zandile Madliwa (The Fall, The Kissing Booth) who will be on supporting vocals. Song writing is the way I truly express myself: unfiltered. The subject matter of expect with Tankiso Mamabolo, 24, has captivated theatre audiences with her performances in the student activist play, ‘The Fall’ and in Marc Lottering’s ‘Aunty, Merle, The Musical’. Next up is -- ‘Tankiso Live’ -- soulful original songs accompanied by a live band -- at the Baxter from May 28-31 May. Mamabolo talks to about the production.
my music tracks the experiences that I’ve had over the last few years – from heartbreak to falling in love to discovering feminism and black consciousness and my view of the world I find myself in.
We have seen you as the activist theatre performer and the musical theatre performer. Now we get to see another side to you as a musician. What can we expect?
Music for me has been a way to exhale – a way for me to locate myself and my deepest thoughts and make sense of them.
Reflections on the Tankiso Live journey? I have been blessed with an endless supply of talented friends and one happens to be a friend and producer who goes by the name “The Afronaut”. He liked my music and we decided to work on a collaborative music, videography and visual arts project. I realised that if I could find time for this then maybe it was time for me to get serious about getting my music out there. I spoke to the band during Aunty Merle and they were excited to be a part of my journey. I already had a journal full of music I had written over the years. It was a matter of finding a gap between tours and hit the ground running which is exactly what I did. I knew it was the right time because of how everyone I needed sort of came together to offer help and I could not let them or myself down.
What led you to the arts? Did you grow up in a musically inclined family?
I grew up in a small but fantastic town in the Eastern Cape called Mthatha. I grew up in the type of family that loves singing so much sometimes they would create an occasion just to sing. My father was a ballroom dancer so growing up I listened to a very eclectic selection of music. I got my voice from my mother who is a phenomenal singer. I started singing in my church worship team and the school choir. When I was in grade 10 my mother noticed the potential in me and sent me to a performing arts school where I studied drama and music.
How was the production ‘The Fall’ received in Edinburgh and in New York.
The Fall has been received with more love than I could have ever imagined. Human pain is human pain and it resonates with people all over the world whether it’s because they are curious; they relate or they want to criticise. In America it was more emotional for us because a lot of young black people came to watch and were inspired by how brave the students in South Africa were.
What is next for you? The Fall is touring for the rest of this year so I will be visiting quite a few countries for the first time. My music will also start being available on some digital platforms and I’m working with my colleague, The Afronaut on releasing our first body of work including two conceptual music videos – hopefully by September.
Tankiso Live is on in the Baxter Masambe Theatre, May 28 – 31, at 6pm.Tickets are R90. Book at Webtickets www.webtickets.co.za