From the CFDA Fashion Awards to Carnegie Hall, four of Mzansi’s top artists took on the Big Apple this week.
Superstar Tyla, 22, sizzled on the red carpet at the 2024 Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Fashion Awards at the American Museum of Natural History on Monday.
At the annual fashion industry gala, which celebrated emerging and established designers in several award categories, Tyla made her debut by arriving in a black vintage lace micro-mini kaftan with a deep plunging neckline layered over neon green hot pants.
Tyla’s stylist, Ron Hartleben found the Tom Ford-era Gucci Spring/Summer 1996 ready-to-wear set, a perfect way to honour a look back at fashion history while bringing for the current Gen-Z the unapologetic “brat green” trend of her shorts.
On the red carpet, the Johannesburg-born beauty spoke about a back injury she suffered in March.
“I’m still recovering and feeling a bit better, slowly getting back but taking it one day at a time,” she said. “One of my highlights of the year is still the day I won a Grammy. My parents came to America for the first time and were with me, and none of us thought my win would happen, so that night was an insane moment.”
Over at Carnegie Hall, the Spotlight on the Music of South Africa featured top artists including the Ndlovu Youth Choir, Zolani Mahola and Jesse Clegg. Other performers in the series included cellist Abel Selaocoe and the Bantu Ensemble, as well as jazz artist Nduduzo Makhathini.
The series celebrated 30 years of democracy in partnership with the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation.
Hailing from Elandsdoorn in Limpopo, the Ndlovu Youth Choir shot to international fame after appearing on Season 14 of America’s Got Talent. Conductor Ralf Schmitt was thrilled by their sold-out performance at Carnegie Hall.
“The highlight was undoubtedly the incredible response from the audience,” he told the Sunday Times. “From the moment we stepped onto the stage, we could feel their warmth, and that set the tone for what was a truly special evening.
“It’s not just the choir on stage. Our technical crew was exceptional. Our sound engineer, Sipho Hleza, is a former chorister who now travels the world with us. He’s from the same village as the choir members and works alongside top engineers across the globe.”
Mahola and Clegg’s Carnegie Hall performance this week marked their first formal concert together since they performed at Radio City Music Hall in New York in 2009.
“The performance was extraordinary, and to be able to bring our South African stories into this iconic venue past and present, was a huge honour,” said Mahola.
The former lead singer of award-winning group Freshlyground for 17 years continued her journey as a successful solo artist from 2019.
Born in Gqeberha, she is also a world-renowned inspirational speaker and actress known as The One Who Sings.
“For me, to be able to perform with Jesse and honouring the legacy of the people who have come before, like his father Johnny Clegg — but also honouring songs that were written by Hugh Masekela and Ma’Miriam Makeba for our freedom — was massive.
“There were a lot of challenges in terms of logistics and getting people here [to New York]. Two of our five band members from South Africa were not able to come out due to visa issues, which was quite stressful, so we had to find substitutes quickly. Fortunately, Jesse’s long-term sound engineer Verny Scholtz was with us, so the sound was amazing.”
Clegg added: “There were two emotional highlights for me. One was when I performed a song that I wrote with my dad called I’ve Been Looking, one of the last songs that he ever released. It was wonderful to feel his presence in the room.
“My three-year-old baby daughter, Mylah, was in the audience. I just felt like my dad was watching, with my baby and family there, and there was this beautiful connection between the past and the future.
“Another amazing moment was at the end when I played Let it Burn and everyone stood up and danced. By the end, it was like one big party, and I really, truly had so much fun.”
South African consul general Simon Cardy, who watched the performance, said: “We’ve had a long relationship with Carnegie Hall from way back during Hugh Masekela’s time. Seeing a packed concert hall with half of them from South Africa, shows the strength of our spirit, our love for the arts, and the pride that we feel as South Africans across the world.”
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