LibraryJams: Zoë Modiga

Thinking about Zoë Modiga’s performance with a few days of rest, I still get goosebumps. Rooted in African spirituality and Zulu folklore, Modiga’s graced with the stage presence of the greatest performers out there – she captivated everyone in the room with her vocal abilities, which allow her to seamlessly switch between high and low notes. Her band, comprising of Banda Banda (Bass), Curt Petrus (Keys), Irie Bolaji (Drums) and Sthembiso Bhengu (Trumpet), produces a top class, well-tuned sound that was perfectly adjusted to the occasion. Bassist Banda Banda’s shirt by local fashion label “UrbanZulu” was also a fitting choice, as the music made me think of Busi Mhlongo’s iconic album numerous times. But after all, Zoe Modiga has carved her own sound from the many influences surrounding her – a sound that left us in the audience in pure awe. Some might have even shed tears of joy! As she explains with her song 'Isegazini' - we don’t need to look on the outside for whatever it is we are looking for, as it is all within us.
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As the Goethe-Institut, we always strive for new ways to support local arts and culture.
Our musical series LibraryJams aims to create performing and income-generating opportunities for artists in a safe environment - while simultaneously producing fresh digital content. Three artists perform short concerts in front of a small, select audience in our library, while their performances are recorded and then later released in a video series. Think Tiny Desk Concerts, but in a Joburg library!

The first event happened on Friday, 20 November with exclusive, intimate performances by The Charles Géne Suite, Zoë Modiga and ShaSha.

Make sure to subscribe to our channel for the upcoming episodes of LibraryJams!
LibraryJams is a project by the Goethe-Institut South Africa, in partnership with PowerFM 98.7.