This Week’s Episode Features a Conversation With Shekhinah, the 5 Hottest Tracks of the Week, and Focalistic’s Africa Month Highlights!
Tune in to Africa Now Radio With Cuppy This Sunday, May 16th at 2p Lagos/London / 3p Johannesburg/Paris / 6a LA / 9a NYC on Apple Music 1.
Cover Star Interview
South African R&B/pop singer Shekhinah joins Cuppy via FaceTime on Apple Music 1 to talk about her latest track, “Questions,” from her sophomore album, Trouble in Paradise. She also discusses the soul-searching themes of the album, how appearing on Idols South Africa prepared her for a career in music, her growing Kenyan fan base, and who she’s keen to collaborate with next.
Shekhinah on why her album ‘Trouble In Paradise’ is more for her than the debut ‘Rose Gold’
The biggest difference between both projects I think is just… I’ve changed so much as a person. ‘Rose Gold,’ I was super confident and super just wanting to get out there and wanting to prove myself. And I think ‘Rose Gold’ was me really trying to impress everybody, and ‘Trouble in Paradise’ was me trying to create something for myself that I was proud of and I loved. So this one is for me, unfortunately.
Shekhinah on why Idols (South Africa) prepared her for the industry
Cuppy: You talk about pressure, but you are used to pressure, you were in South African Idols in 2012. So has that been able to create a structure for you as an artist? Are you used to the disciplines? Because a lot of creatives don’t actually understand it is a job, it does require special skills.
Shekhinah: Definitely. I say that all the time about my experience on Idols, it gave me a look into what I wanted to do my whole life, it was so beautiful to be on the show because every day you were preparing for the show, and every day was a different thing, whether you in studio, vocal training, or at rehearsals. I never knew that that was the life of a musician until I did Idols. So it did prepare me to deal with the pressure.
Shekhinah on a potential collaboration with Olamide
I, first of all, love Naija. I’ve been doing my best to keep in contact with the artists that I know there and I’ve been doing my utmost to try and work with Olamide and we have been trying to cross collaborate on his project and on my project and it didn’t work out this time for both of us. But I’m hoping we can work together on a single at least.
The Big 5
Cuppy shares the 5 hottest new African tracks of the moment. This week’s selection includes new tracks from Focalistic & Mr JazziQ feat. Lady Du & Mellow and Sleazy; Aquatone feat. Jaidene Veda; Otile Brown & Kizz Daniel ; Serge Ibaka & Tayc; and LADIPOE & Buju.
Africa Rising
Ghanaian drill poster boy Yaw Tog is latest Africa Rising cover star, a campaign which shines a light on the next generation of African superstars. Listen HERE.
Exclusive Preview: Focalistic
In an exclusive preview of this week’s The Agenda Radio with Dotty on Apple Music 1, Cuppy shares a sneak peak of Dotty’s interview with South African rapper Focalistic, who discusses how amapiano’s border-crossing success saw him work with Nigerian hitmaker Davido and Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz. The full interview airs on Apple Music 1 on Wednesday, 19 May. Listen HERE.
Mini Mix
In celebration of Africa Month, Cuppy finishes this week’s show with a mini-mix of Apple Music’s exclusive Focalistic: Africa Month playlist, curated by the South African star and featuring his favourite tracks from across the continent. This weeks’ mix includes music from Busta 929 & Mpura feat Zuma, Mr JazzQ, Lady Du & Reece Madlisa; DBN Gogo, Blaqnick & MasterBlaq feat. Mpura, AmaAvenger & M.J; DJ Stokie feat Madumane, Howard Gomba, Bongza & Focalistic; Junior De Rocka & Lady Du feat. Mr JazziQ, Mellow & Sleazy; and JazziDisciples & Mr JazziQ feat. Focalistic & Busta 929. Listen HERE.
Tune in and listen to the full episode this Sunday, May 16th at 2p Lagos/London / 3p Johannesburg/Paris / 6a LA / 9a NYC on Apple Music 1 at apple.co/_AfricaNow.
Apple Music’s Africa Now Radio With Cuppy This Sunday With Shekhinah
