Aspiring South African artists have been battling it out in the knock-out style competition to determine who will be the opening act for Grammy Award winning R&B star Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, at the Hansa Festival of Legends in March 2012.
Aspiring South African artists have been battling it out in the knock-out style competition to determine who will be the opening act for Grammy Award winning R&B star Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, at the Hansa Festival of Legends in March 2012.
Five Eastern Cape acts have made it into the final top 30 of the Hansa Pilsener Legends in the Making Tour competition and among them are local artists Sinethemba Oz Mzwali and Nangamso Epic Mtyingizane. Grocott's Mail spoke to the two about their journey so far and their hopes for reaching the final round. In the first round selection judges listened to over 200 submissions and chose a shortlist of 60 artists to perform in their local clubs.
The second round saw the 60 whittled down to 30. Only 12 will survive the third round and six of these will go on to open for Usher. Epic, the MC in the group, said: "The judges say we have a good opportunity because we bring something different to the stage. In the whole competition there is no other beatboxer, DJ and MC group." Epic performs with his childhood friend Oz, who is a radio deejay at RMR and part of the popular bassline show, as the beatboxer, and Denmark-born DJ Christyles, a BA student at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), on the decks.
Their last performance at Port Elizabeth's Monde’s Tavern on 16 December attracted over two hundred and fifty people who came to watch them compete with, and beat, Lady Zique. The final round will be held on 29 January at an as yet unknown venue in Port Elizabeth, and will include performances from stars such as Zakes Bantwini and Teargas.
