Take Six (Live at NAF) - By Asanda Mqiki

Asanda Mqiki presents her much awaited solo debut album, Nobakithi, showcasing her viscerally emotive vocals, and a sound that brings in jazz, funk, soul, R&B, and traditional South African genres such as Mbaqanga.  

This album was recorded live at the Savoy Theatre in her hometown of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and features her full band: Thoba Goba on drums, Grant Allison on electric bass, Mthokozisi Mabuza on keys, Qaqambile Qingana on synths, Joash Soobramoney on saxophone & Kamva Goba on percussion.  Guest guitarist Ben Badenhorst makes an appearance on Mbulelo & Nobakithi.

Asanda has performed across South Africa at premier venues such as The Orbit (JHB), The Chairman (Durban), the PE Opera House and Jazz in the Native Yards (CPT), and at major festivals such as the Cape Town Festival (headlining with with Vicky Sampson and Jimmy Nevis), Oppikoppi & the National Arts Festival. 

Internationally, she has twice performed by invitation at the Gothenberg Culture Festival in Sweden (2014 & 2015), and in 2018 at the Centro Cultural Franco-Moçambicano in Maputo, Mozambique. She was also the featured African artist for the inaugural online Lovebusk festival, organised out of Australia in 2016.
 
Other distinctions include:
- Opening act at the inaugural Pan African Creative Exchange, July 2018
- Selected as one of the Top 5 of the espAfrika espYoungLegends in October 2017
- Winner of a Gold Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival 2015
- Winner of the Eastern Cape MEC award for Best Individual Performer 2015
 
Prior to launching her solo career, Asanda performed regularly with platinum-selling a capella group The Soil.  She was also lead vocalist for the band Take Note, with whom she released 2 albums and performed at SA festival Joy of Jazz. She has shared the stage and collaborated with artists such as the legendary Sibongile Khumalo, Freshlyground, Khaya Mahlangu, Bongeziwe Mabandla, Putuma Tiso & Berita.

Some comments from the Press:

"Her jazz elicits happiness, joy and the kinda indescribable feel you get when you fit the last piece of a really complex 10000 part puzzle… The band’s harmony coupled with the expressive singing of Asanda is difficult to imagine simply on the basis of words." - Richard Chemaly, Milled

"Asanda Mqiki is a vocal force, a true Afro-soul revelation with an insane degree of control over her notes. Emotive and sassy, exuding a jazzy persona unlike anything I’ve seen she was my best vocal performance of the weekend." - Texx & The City

"The richness of her voice, the generosity of her performance, her versatility and authenticity all astounded me. She was the same lyrical, charismatic and gracious Asanda Mqiki, but with more depth and complexity than I could have anticipated...her emotive and often spontaneous way takes nothing away from her skill. She transitions from celebratory to thoughtful, Xhosa to English, Pop to Jazz, seamlessly. Watching her perform was an engaging exercise in feeling and listening deeply." - Shalom Zamisa, JazzE

Nobakithi

I've Got You

Nobakithi (radio edit)

Mbulelo (radio edit)

Take 6

Caramello

China Chino Funk

Naughty Pirate

Mbulelo

Asanda Mqiki has been described as “a true Afro-Soul revelation with an insane amount of control over her notes”.  In August 2018, she released her much awaited solo debut album, Nobakithi, showcasing her signature style with viscerally emotive vocals, and a sound that brings in jazz, funk, soul, R&B, and traditional South African genres such as Mbaqanga.  

The album was recorded live at the Savoy Theatre in her hometown of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and features her full band: Thoba Goba on drums, Grant Allison on electric bass, Mthokozisi Mabuza on keys, Qaqambile Qingana on synths, Joash Soobramoney on saxophone & Kamva Goba on percussion.  Guest guitarist Ben Badenhorst makes an appearance on Mbulelo & Nobakithi.

Asanda has performed across South Africa at premier venues such as The Orbit (JHB), The Chairman (Durban), the PE Opera House and Jazz in the Native Yards (CPT), and at major festivals such as the Cape Town Festival (headlining with with Vicky Sampson and Jimmy Nevis), Oppikoppi & the National Arts Festival. 

Internationally, she has twice performed by invitation at the Gothenberg Culture Festival in Sweden (2014 & 2015), and in 2018 at the Centro Cultural Franco-Moçambicano in Maputo, Mozambique. She was also the featured African artist for the inaugural online Lovebusk festival, organised out of Australia in 2016.
 
Other distinctions include:
- Opening act at the inaugural Pan African Creative Exchange, July 2018
- Selected as one of the Top 5 of the espAfrika espYoungLegends in October 2017
- Winner of a Gold Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival 2015
- Winner of the Eastern Cape MEC award for Best Individual Performer 2015
 
Prior to launching her solo career, Asanda performed regularly with platinum-selling a capella group The Soil.  She was also lead vocalist for the band Take Note, with whom she released 2 albums and performed at SA festival Joy of Jazz. She has shared the stage and collaborated with artists such as the legendary Sibongile Khumalo, Freshlyground, Khaya Mahlangu, Bongeziwe Mabandla, Putuma Tiso & Berita.

Some comments from the Press:
"Her jazz elicits happiness, joy and the kinda indescribable feel you get when you fit the last piece of a really complex 10000 part puzzle… The band’s harmony coupled with the expressive singing of Asanda is difficult to imagine simply on the basis of words." - Richard Chemaly, Milled

"Asanda Mqiki is a vocal force, a true Afro-soul revelation with an insane degree of control over her notes. Emotive and sassy, exuding a jazzy persona unlike anything I’ve seen she was my best vocal performance of the weekend." - Texx & The City

"The richness of her voice, the generosity of her performance, her versatility and authenticity all astounded me. She was the same lyrical, charismatic and gracious Asanda Mqiki, but with more depth and complexity than I could have anticipated...her emotive and often spontaneous way takes nothing away from her skill. She transitions from celebratory to thoughtful, Xhosa to English, Pop to Jazz, seamlessly. Watching her perform was an engaging exercise in feeling and listening deeply." - Shalom Zamisa, JazzE

Asanda Mqiki

Popular tracks