ZOE MODIGA: REPRESENTING THE PRESENT & FUTURE OF SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC
SAMA winning songstress Zoë Modiga is flying higher than ever as she celebrates performing her song ‘Abantu’ in a new drama series on the world’s biggest streaming platform. We got a glimpse into a day in her life.
Born and raised in KwaZulu Natal, Zoë Modiga is a quintessential artist who represents the present and future of music in our country. The stellar rise Zoe has enjoyed owes much to how relatable her songwriting is.
As she draws inspiration from human experiences, identity, and storytelling, she employs a distinctive sound to tell a modern, evolving African story without losing its essence. What sets her lyrics apart is a belief that – ‘life isn’t the big events, it’s the very little things that big things are made of’.
Zoë has truly made a name for herself in the music industry, having recently released her album ‘Inganekwane’ in June (2020). The album hit the top 10 on the Apple Music SA Charts and was trending at number one on the Apple Music SA World Charts.
She has performed at numerous festivals on our home soil including Cape Town International Jazz Festival, Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, Durban Jazz Festival, Oppikoppi, Rocking the Daisies, Redbull Music Festival, and Joburg Film Festival, to name a few.
Zoë has collaborated with some of the country’s most influential musicians including Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Johnny Clegg, Simphiwe Dana, Abigail Kubeka, Madala Kunene,Tshepo Tshola and numerous others.
This week, we joined her at Flame Studios for a fun session. At this cutting-edge creative hub and world-class studio, the heaviness of history and optimism of the future merge harmoniously.
The studio is dedicated to providing a world-class space for a broad spectrum of audio creatives. Dedicated to creative development, Flame Studios is committed to amplifying the rich pool of undiscovered talent.
A compelling artist who challenges the status quo, Zoë is steadily building a legacy of cultural impact through music, fashion and storytelling. To a singer, the body is their instrument, and the studio of Jolene Palmer is where Zoe keeps hers in tune.
Located in Kensington, Johannesburg, YogaJo‘s mission is to provide a serene, safe, and welcoming environment for its students to develop their own personal journey and self-transformation with yoga.
In the studio or on stage, this is an artist who takes life one hour at a time and so she is very deliberate about each song she chooses to sing, and how she dresses the part too.
In the midst of the pandemic, Zoe spearheaded virtual performances and released her SAMA winning album ‘Inganekwane’ but nothing beats performing for her fans, live.
Performing for and feeding off her crowd’s energy is a return to the basics of Zoe Modiga’s music and now that she’s back on stage, you just try getting her off it.
