Queen of afro jazz, Judith Sephuma is known for her soulful, angelic voice and once again she brought down the house at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CTIJF) on 3 May 2024.
“From a very early age, I knew I had something special. This is me, this is what I have to do”
Judith Sephuma is evidently proud of her Africanness and fuses it through her rhythm and song and in speaking with her, her quiet confidence in her ability to sing and perform comes across in conversation. Sephuma is certain of her talents and without a question, it translates to an awe-inspiring performance.
I had the pleasure of seeing Sephuma perform at both the free concert at Greenmarket Square on 2 May 2024 and again on the first day of the CTIJF on 3 May 2024. Although the crowd and atmosphere were completely different, Sephuma certainly knew how to draw in her audience.
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On day one of the CTIJF, Sephuma started off her set in a very mellow vein, all the while building us up to what I deem to be the highlight of my night. Considering that the audience at CTIJF is relatively more mature folk, and Sephuma being the curtain closer with her set due to begin at midnight, I was surprised by the number of people that waited, with some even taking naps on the floor to ensure that they stayed for her and was it well worth the worth wait as Sephuma poured her heart out on the stage! Her essence is truly captivating.
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Upon chatting with Sephuma, she mentioned that the performance was well-planned, but not rehearsed in the conventional sense. “I work with the same musicians and we solidify the programme so that we don’t change the arrangement too much”. As a spectator, we would never know and it was a particularly unique experience to see how impressed Sephuma was by her band throughout the show, as she would turn around and gesture to them with an allusive thumbs up. Clearly, this is not Sephuma’s first rodeo as she returned to the CTIJF for the 24th time this year.
Judith Sephuma, the fashion designer
Sephuma entered the stage wearing a regal red dress and another shocker that stunned me during my conversation with the multi-talented Sephuma is that she has a flair for design, and personally crafts all her outfits – a hidden talent she has safeguarded until now. I felt honoured to be the first she entrusted with this revelation. Every single outfit she’s worn to her live shows has been the product of her mastermind.
Image credit: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images
Catch Judith Sephuma and so many talented local and international artists at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival this weekend.
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Feature image: Gallo images / Oupa Bopape
