African-inspired karaoke night gets new home!

AFRO-BEAT DJ Spokenpriestess will host her bespoke African karaoke night in a new home.

Founded in 2021 under a different name, Afri-Sauti Karaoke officially launched earlier in 2024 after three years of conceptual planning.

Previously held in Melville, Joburg, the event has relocated to Omen Rosebank, north of Joburg.

Spokenpriestess, whose real name is Precious Nkadimeng, explained that the move to Rosebank was driven by a need for better transportation access and parking compared to Melville.

"Rosebank has become Joburg's bustling hotspot. There's so much happening there, with plenty of great places to explore and it's more centrally located. Melville was a bit too far for people coming from Centurion, Midrand, and Pretoria," she said.

The DJ also mentioned that fans can expect a laid-back night at the new venue.

"We'll have big screens and DJ sets at the new venue. Previously, it was only karaoke, now the space allows us to add an exciting twist to karaoke nights," she said.

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Starting on 2 August, karaoke night takes place on the first Friday of every month. In honour of Women's Month, the relaunch at Omen Rosebank will celebrate African women in music, in partnership with Women in Music South Africa.

Attendees can look forward to singing songs by iconic African artists such as Angelique Kidjo, Brenda Fassie, Lebo Mathosa, Makhadzi, Shekhinah and Tiwa Savage.

Spokenpriestess aims to create a platform for Africans to sing in their mother tongues, addressing a lack of African artists on traditional karaoke playlists.

She curates a playlist, featuring a variety of African pop sounds, especially South African classics, allowing karaoke fans to sing their favorite local hits.

"With the word ‘sauti' (which means sound in KiSwahili) the name perfectly captures the essence of the African karaoke experience. The goal is to one day include as many African songs as possible in various languages spoken across the continent, truly representing the vastness and diversity of its people," Spokenpriestess said.