East London’s Asanda Mvana, known in the music industry as Msaki, bid farewell to the public stage in an outstanding final performance at the Guild Theatre on March 19.
Earlier this year, Msaki announced via social media her intention to take a break from public life to strengthen her artistry and raise her family.
In an interview with the Daily Dispatch, Msaki said, “Being a performer makes you more visible, I don’t owe anyone my person. Writing music and being with my kids feeds my soul.
“I can easily let go of being on stage. I will never stop writing music.”
To mark the end of this chapter, Msaki has been touring her musical production, The Delta Love Experience, which officially concluded its final run at the Guild Theatre.
Ahead of the show she also released a new collaborative body of work entitled Synthetic Hearts with singer-songwriter, Tubatsi Moloi.
Synthetic Hearts explores the contradictions inherent in relationships and the responsibility that comes with loving and being loved.
Msaki and Moloi’s vocals float over the riffs of a cello and the lightness of the sound coupled with the piercing clarity of the lyrics, evoke the experience of healing contemplation that Msaki’s music is synonymous with.
Her exceptional talent for producing regenerative music was articulated in her performance in East London that kept audiences entranced throughout its hour long run.
Funded by the National Arts Council, the show proved to be a feat of artistic genius and included set displays, props, cinematography, costume changes and performances by a string quartet.
The set list featured Msaki’s vast discography and showcased both her years of experience as an artist and varied thematic explorations of her music. Audiences were guided through her attempts to reconcile love on both the personal and political plain and in various parts, both the audience and performers on stage were moved to tears.
In between songs and in conversation with the audience, she reiterated the message shared with thousands of fans earlier this year that part of her move away from public life is an affirmation of the humanity of artists and public figures.
“When your heart is soft, it doesn’t mean you are weak. To stay supple-hearted is not a weakness and you must state your humanity in the face of people who are undermining it,” she said.
Originally from Amalinda in East London, Msaki’s career sky-rocketed after her first SAMA wins and over the years she has only grown in both popularity and esteem. She will be moving to Los Angeles later this year.
