Latest news with #LadyZamar
IOL News
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Lady Zamar redefines herself with bold new sound and season of growth
Lady Zamar takes the reins, crafting a song that serves as both a prelude to this new era and a promise. In the ever-evolving landscape of South African music, Lady Zamar emerges anew, with a fresh sound and a renewed sense of purpose. Her latest single, Russian Roulette, marks the beginning of what she calls her ''Summer Era''— a season of rebirth, celebration and unfiltered storytelling. 'You know how spring is the rebirth of the season? Summer is the height of that rebirth where we start to celebrate,' she explains. 'So this upcoming project is a celebration for me. A celebration of life, a celebration of artistry, a celebration of the African continent.' This new chapter is more than a sonic shift; it's a personal evolution, she shares. After years of navigating the complexities of fame, Lady Zamar is reclaiming her narrative. 'There's been a lot of conversation about me that has never been driven by me,' she reflects, adding that she is ready to reclaim her story. 'I've just been an unwilling participant who has also watched from the sidelines.' Reflecting on Russian Roulette, Lady Zamar says the song represents a turning point not just in her music but in her life. Here, Lady Zamar takes the reins, crafting a song that serves as both a prelude to this new era and a promise. 'The song is like a primer when you are wearing makeup; you first have to prime your skin and then jump into the foundation," she analogises. 'Russian Roulette is the most important piece of this upcoming puzzle. It allows me to take my people with me on this journey.' The track delves into the emotional gamble that many of us are willing to take. Even in romance. Though emotional, the song is also upbeat and summery — deliberately so. 'I wanted something that feels good, that people can dance to, but still hits emotionally. That's what summer is to me — celebration mixed with a little chaos,' she adds with a laugh.
Mail & Guardian
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mail & Guardian
Diary: Jembaa Groove in Southern Africa, Lady Zamar release new single, enjoy Hey Hillbrow! Let's Dlala!
Electrifying: Jembaa Groove, based in Berlin, Germany, is bringing their sound to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Mbabane. Jembaa Groove to tour Southern Africa The Goethe-Institut, in partnership with The Dig Global (South Africa) and Jazz refreshed (UK), brings the Berlin collective Jembaa Groove to Southern Africa for the first time as part of this year's Afrodiaspora Connection. Riding high on the success of their acclaimed 2022 debut album Susuma, the band is taking their genre-bending sound on tour across Cape Town, Johannesburg and Mbabane. Led by Ghanaian vocalist-percussionist Eric Owusu and German bassist/producer Yannick Nolting, Jembaa Groove seamlessly blends Seventies Ghanaian highlife sounds with jazz, soul and Afrobeat, offering a bold reimagining of African diasporic music. With past collaborations including legends like Tony Allen and Ebo Taylor, and performances at SXSW and BBC Maida Vale Studios, they bring a polished yet raw energy to the stage. Catch them live this Africa Month — their rhythm is global, their sound unmistakably fresh. Lady Zamar releases Russian Roulette Lady Zamar returns with a striking new single Russian Roulette, marking a fearless leap into her summer era. The award-winning South African singer, songwriter, and producer delivers an emotionally rich track that's as playful as it is poignant — built around a friendship dancing dangerously close to romance. Known for her genre-defying artistry, Lady Zamar leans into Afrobeat, house and soul influences while blending cinematic storytelling with a polished pop sensibility. The song's standout moment? A bold switch to West African pidgin, underscoring her pan-African evolution. With a hook that channels the thrill of Truth or Dare, Russian Roulette invites listeners into a world of vulnerability, desire and high emotional stakes. Listen on all streaming platforms. Hey, Hillbrow! Let's Dlala Dancing in the streets: A parade will take place, starting from the Windybrow Arts Centre in Hillbrow, on Saturday 24 May. This Africa Month, the streets of Johannesburg come alive with the return of the vibrant Hey Hillbrow! Let's Dlala! street parade, happening on Saturday 24 May. Starting at 10am at The Windybrow Arts Centre, the sixth edition of this annual celebration promises a kaleidoscope of sound, colour and community. The parade winds through Hillbrow and Doornfontein, led by the Ezase Vaal Brass Band and featuring aerial spectacles from The Cirk. The post-parade music concert promises live sets by Thamsanqa Vuthela Band, Mozambique's The Dizzy Brains and Styles Da Deejay from The Creators Room. Curated by Tamzyn Botha and Daniel Buckland, and supported by a host of grassroots organisations, and featuring recycled costume creations by the African Reclaimers Organisation, Hey Hillbrow! transforms urban space into a playground of joy, art and protest. — Lesego Chepape
News24
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
‘I set very strong boundaries for myself' - Lady Zamar channels life lessons into powerful music
Despite any controversy that may have followed her she remains unshaken. She's best known for her smile and soothing voice - with a career spanning multiple hit singles and albums that have earned her a loyal fan base. Yamikani Janet Banda a.k.a Lady Zamar is a South African singer-songwriter and house vocalist, she hails from Thembisa and grew up in Mamelodi, Pretoria. Lady Zamar rose to fame in 2011 when she was still a duo with Junior Taurus, their debut album 'Cotton Candy' was released in 2015. This album garnered the spotlight ultimately laying the foundation for Lady Zamar's solo career. Her first solo album 'King Zamar,' debuted in 2017, solidifying her status as a solo artist and swiftly earned gold and double platinum certification. Following this accomplishment, her second album 'Monarch,' further showcased her musical ability and flexibility. And she has been releasing more hit songs and albums since then, including her latest single 'Russian Roulette.' Read more | Amalanga Awafani star Fanele Zulu on balancing family life and rising TV career In a conversation with DRUM, Lady Zamar described this chapter of her life as creative and embracing whatever's in store for her. 'I think I'm focused on global appeal right now, and I'm focused on repositioning myself as a storyteller, that tells stories that are relevant to people right now. This new chapter is about me being a visionary as well, in terms of taking risks in the music and taking risks in the type of stories that I'm telling as well.' Speaking on new music she says that her new sound is a result of having learnt to trust her voice and storytelling 'My first single, Russian Roulette, really encapsulates that I am in a more playful spirit, but it's still a place of speaking, writing and creating music from a place of understanding, reflection, and I'm just in a place where I'm willing to embrace what's coming,' she explained. Read more | EXCLUSIVE | Emtee celebrates rising like a phoenix after Metro FM award win - 'I have no regrets' Lady Zamar also shared some valuable lessons she's learned from her past relationships and how they've influenced her music and personal growth. 'I've become more aware of who I am. I no longer just give people the space to just come in and out of my life as they will, and that has translated into music the same way, I don't allow people to tell me how I should live my life, in terms of how I should write the kind of stories I put out. I'm not allowing anyone to shape my narrative for me. I'm doing it myself and I'm allowing myself the freedom and the grace that I expect other people to give me, and I give them that grace as well.' Read more | WATCH | A demure international collab between SA's Lady Zamar, Nigeria's Timicrox and America's Elle B She says that in order to bring balance into her life, she separates her true self from the brand that she has created. 'The most effective way of doing it for me is to switch off. I switch off anything and everything. I treat my work as work. I treat my brand as work. As much as it's a very big part of who I am as a person, it is a part that I don't live 24-7. I allow myself to spend time with family, with friends. I do stuff that makes me happy. I'm very quick with enjoying my life, basically. I also don't allow myself to be too concerned about people's opinions of me. 'There's a saying that I recently learned, 'if you can't take advice from someone, don't take criticism from them.' If a person can't give me any valuable advice and any valuable insight into something that I'm busy with or doing, I don't usually pay attention to them. I respect everyone's opinion. However, I don't allow them to penetrate into the innermost parts of me and affect my work. I set very strong boundaries for myself, my team, my family, and also the people that I consider family, which are my fans.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lady Zamar (@lady_zamar) 'Honestly, if it doesn't make me feel good whether it's something that requires a lot of concentration or a lot of pressure, or something that requires for me to indulge or to engage in it more, I will still apply myself without allowing myself to get overrun by that activity itself.' Read more | Meet Nhoza Sitsholwana, a traditional African fusion genre singer Lady Zamar has also shared some of her fondest milestones with us. 'What I'm most proud of, is the brand that I have. I'm very proud of the work that has been put into it. I think a lot of people have contributed to who I am and where I am today. Even those whose relationships I no longer have or whose favour I no longer have, and those who do not have my favour either, everything for me has been monumental. You lose some, you win some, but if you look at everything as a lesson and if you allow yourself to see the good in what someone has brought, even if it's not nice, you get to appreciate the whole of you. The reputation that I have as a performer, I'm very, very proud of that and I'm grateful for it,' she giggled. The process of creating her latest single, 'Russian Roulette' was tedious and fun she says. 'Russian Roulette is a single from an upcoming album. It's going to be out later on in the year. The process of creating it was kind of simple; I wanted to create a song that was fun and simple. I wanted to be able to dance to it first, you know? I like to be the first person to experiment with my own sound.' She is excited about the album she will be releasing. 'I've been recording this particular album for over a year now in terms of recording, mixing, and mastering. So, this is the first of a beautiful body of work that I hope you guys will enjoy later on in the year,' she smiled.
IOL News
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
The anticipation ends: Lady Zamar's 'Russian Roulette' is here to play with your heart
Award-winning singer, Lady Zamar has released her highly anticipated single "Russian Roulette". Image: Instagram/Lady Zamar Singer and songwriter Lady Zamar (real name Yamikani Janet Banda) is making her musical comeback with a new single titled 'Russian Roulette'. After weeks of sharing snippets of "Russian Roulette" on her social media accounts, the 29-year-old singer released her highly anticipated single on Friday, May 16. Using the central idea of games, this single unfolds as a mysterious and playful expression of love. Zamar skillfully portrays the exciting vulnerability of taking risks for love, highlighting the subtle signals, emotional intensity, and lingering questions that accompany such uncertainty. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ She is known for her versatility and, in this new single, she taps into multiple genres, which include afrobeat, pop and house. Her latest single serves as an enticing prelude to her highly anticipated upcoming album, ushering in what is termed her "Summer Era". This new creative phase represents a significant evolution in her artistic journey, offering her dedicated fan base an exclusive initial glimpse into her developing ways of storytelling through music. The 'My Baby' hitmaker shared the inspiration behind her new single, 'Russian Roulette", is about daring to speak unspoken feelings, about risking vulnerability. It's playful, it's intense, it's a little chaotic - just like love can be. Zamar took a five-year hiatus from the music scene however, she made her comeback in April 2024 after releasing her album 'Rainbow.' 'Rainbow' explored themes such as love, empowerment and resilience. The album became her 6th album. Zamar is known for producing hit songs such as 'Collide', 'Love is Blind' and 'Mamelodi', which have earned her multiple awards. She has also collaborated with international artists from Nigeria and the US on a single titled 'Strange Things', which was released on May 12. Lady Zamar worked with Nigerian DJ Timicrox and Elle B on this single, which offered fans a blend of amapiano, elements of R&B, as well as Afropop. "Russian Roulette" is now available on all streaming platforms.
