SEPHUMA HAS SOFT SPOT FOR LIVE SHOWS |
Songstress says it’s all about connecting to people who love her
JUDITH Sephuma enjoys introducing her music to the people through a live performance.
“I feel like if they aren’t convinced with the CD, they will be convinced by seeing us perform live. When we perform live, it’s like the music really comes alive and more than anything just seeing people’s faces and being reminded of how much people love you makes you feel like you are doing something right. It makes you feel like this is exactly what you should be doing.”
Sephuma is passionate about her music and plans to show just how much at her album launch listening session at Emperors Palace next week.
“I’m already on that stage, I cannot wait. I have a play list of the entire songs and have been rearranging the order of how we will be playing them. It is really all about the people to reconnect with Judith.”
For her, live performances are about connecting with the people who love her. Sephuma speaks fondly about her band.
“Someone once said to me: ‘You must work with people who love you before they love what you do’. We have become a family. I am very good with relationships and I am loyal to people I work with and that is why the music will sound amazing.”
Her album Power of Dreams has a feel-good back story.
“My daughter wrote the song. I found it on her phone and she asked that I don’t read her personal stuff. I took the song and made it my own, singing it exactly as she had written it. I want to encourage her and inspire her to continue to write and I said to her, we need to archive your work. She must write it, I work on it and archive it for her so she can take it and sell it to people in the future when she is ready.”
As soon as she was done recording the song, she sent it to her daughter, Lethabo.
“All that leave my private stuff went out the window. She loved it. It’s getting some great airplay as well.”
The album was recorded in the US.
“I felt like I wasn’t ready. So much had happened from the beginning of
A Cry, A Smile and A Dance until now and I never got a chance to stop and really think. It all hit me at the same time. The pressure of moving from Jazz to Gospel, where I had to alter my life in the craziest of ways.
“Gospel is not supposed to change how people see you. When I give you jazz it is the best of me, when it is gospel, I do the same because God channels that journey. I felt like I was expected to be this other person and then I forgot the jazz.”
Jazz has always been her first love, it is what she heard when she first started singing.
“I altered all of that and got tired of pleasing people. I realised one day that I have to get Judith back. When you are happy you give your best. It’s something that we as a people need to be aware of. You don’t lose yourself to anything for anybody. I loved the journey of just travelling.”
She spent a lot of her travel time between the US and the UK, working out, running and eating healthy.
“I came back here looking so good and I wanted more. I wanted to be in control of my thoughts, my ideas, my everything without getting into anyone’s space. I wrote so much of this album within a week with all the time I had to myself. I worked with some great people and we put this beautiful work together.”
Sephuma has many moments throughout her career that form part of her highlights reel. From working with local and international greats to sharing God-filled moments with supporters.
“God is the centre of my being. When people look at you and call you so many things, give them exactly that and more. Believe it, give them exactly that and more because you haven’t been playing a game. Music is the centre of my life and I take it seriously.”
She urges people to support independent record labels, knowing what it takes to record projects that will be appealing to the consumer.
“It takes a lot of courage, a lot of time, planning and love. You understand what your audience is so you give them nothing but the best. Giving up is not an option. I have to do this because it is all I’ve got.”
The Judith Sephuma Power of Dreams Listening Session takes place on November 1 at Emperors Palace from 8pm.