musicians

"I always went back to the moment I wrote Black Mampatile. I was alone then, not waiting for anyone’s validation. I remembered to dream again. I always wanted to go back to the girl who wrote that song. I prayed to God to get me back to that girl"

"I’m going to leave my mark on earth, and I’ve pledged to the Lord that I’ll do it how He planned, because of what I’ve learnt when I was down"

"It taught me that talent is only one part of the equation, the other part being what you do the platform you have being given. However, that is not to say it was smooth sailing thereafter, I went through a lot in life as well as my career. Right now I understand that I have a role to play in my society, that I am a role model to some, a business woman and a community builder, those ups and downs are the lessons that sharpened me to be the brand that I am today. I have evolved from being that little girl to being the young woman I am today that understands she has to take up space and use her voice not just for music but to also have an impact in the lives of Batswana especially the girl child"

"This song is a love story, but I wanted the video to reflect cultural identity and expression through movement"

"I was just myself, really. I didn’t try to imitate anyone to fit in. But the pressure was intense I was carrying the industry with me. It was no longer just about me"

"I am so excited that it happened to an ordinary girl. Right now my purpose has shifted, I want to inspire young, upcoming girls from all over the country. I’ve turned what happened to me into a purpose-driven scenario. I want them to know it’s possible"

"I was wondering whether I was good enough, if I would deliver. Would they understand and feel what I was doing or is it only Batswana who relate"

"What’s next for me is everything under the sun. I have grown, I have evolved. I’m no longer just an artist. I’m an entrepreneur now"

"It was an unconditional release. That means I have no record—I did not commit any offence."

"Music is supposed to have an effect. If you're playing music and people don't feel something, you're not doing shit. That's what African music is about. When you hear something, you must move. I want to move people to dance, but also to think. Music wants to dictate a better life, against a bad life. When you're listening to something that depicts having a better life, and you're not having a better life, it must have an effect on you."

"As a kid I was bullied when I came to the UK because I was dark-skinned had short hair and just didn't fit in. I didn't speak that much English and was dyslexic so I had many challenges. But my mum was my inspiration as she encouraged me and said you can be whoever you want to be. I was always looking for inspiration and people who could inspire me, I wanted to listen to people's journeys."

"When you ask someone who inspires you they always say Bill Gates or Steve Jobs - there are no African names and we (Africans) have great African people doing great things."

"The best way to celebrate is to give those who lack. 40 years of life has been phenomenal and I want to continue impacting society and humanity."

"Understanding what it is that a journalist needs; if you can make it any easier for a journalist to do his/her job it always helps."

"Try not to influence what a journalist writes, as long as they have the facts."

"Know your audience. The better your understanding of your audience the better you can communicate with them."

"Communication is key in any relationship and journalists are no different; for the more and clearer the information you give the better the relationship."

"Representation and diversity are crucial in the music industry. When we see artists from diverse backgrounds and with diverse perspectives, it inspires us to think outside of our own experiences and to see the world from new angles."

"Music can also be used to inspire and empower women and girls and to challenge societal norms and stereotypes about gender roles and expectations. Songs that celebrate the strength and resilience of women...are aimed at being incredibly empowering for women and girls who may be struggling with their own self-esteem or facing discrimination and inequality."

"I started singing since my consciousness, and I haven’t stopped since, it has always been my way of expressing myself."

"Patience is important, take time with your craft and don’t be afraid to start over and over again if you are not satisfied with what you’ve written. It’s important to balance the external pressure so you don’t end up rushing yourself."

"I believe that we all have a journey of self-discovery that we must go through, and my music reflects this journey."

"Not all of us are gifted in the academia scene and not all of us are good at doing the main subjects such as science and math, but everyone is gifted one way or another, so if you’re a musician take music classes to increase the knowledge that you have right now and improve the quality of your work. But never stop learning."

"Rehearsals help to cultivate the potential in you and they help you to become a better musician or a better songwriter."

"I believe that music has the power to heal, inspire, and uplift people, and I want my music to do just that."

"Education is very important. Education in the sense that, you have to study whatever it is that you love so that you could do it to your best ability with more knowledge."

"With hard work and perseverance, it is possible to achieve success and make a positive impact on the industry and the world at large."

"I just like working you know? So I guess what gets released is just the tip of the iceberg."

"In terms of working with dementia-as a concept-I don't know, it just fascinates me, you know, memory going wrong. There's nothing really to add. I think I'm really fascinated by memory and things going wrong."

"But always, I've got to make it sound like it's organic, so it's not being done digitally, you know? I am always trying to do something where you can't really hear the process, but you can imagine "this is going wrong, this is crumbling down'."

"It's so beautiful, because you don't really notice the soundtrack which is what I was aiming for."

"The process is often before the show."

"We were just talking about this and I don't think we did, it's just natural that something works or it doesn't, you know? I would look at Ivan's paintings, or he would listen to a sound and change something, and it's not something that's overthought."

"I was on before this experimental guy, Morton Subotnick- This old, 80 year-old classic experimental guy. The venue's beautiful. Huge big cinema screen, and I'm like 'What the hell can I do to, you know, wake this audience up from the slumber?', so I decided to throw myself down this staircase to begin the show, which went very well."

"I would expect the unexpected, I think that's always the best thing to expect these days. That's always the motivation, 'expect the unexpected'"

"As an individual, I have always have a passion to assist and mentor the girl-child. “I will keep on doing my best through Vabvana Trust as we seek to change people’s lives."

"She said as an ambitious woman she learnt to stand on her own feet and to leave a life independent of her father."

"I just want to walk my path but I don’t mind having him around me."

"Selmor has been exceptionally helpful as we build up the new Old Mutual Amazing Voices talent search initiative, designed to platform a whole new generation of singers, so her role in working with the aspiring competitors has been enormously beneficial."

"As such, the hard-working diva, through her three-year-old Vabvana Trust, has since stepped up efforts to bring smiles on the poor"

"Nothing conduces so emphatically to the harmony of sounds as perfect classical piano play."

"One day, in the woken up city Charming evening. One night, when the moon woke up, A teenage boy Who dreams lonely Laughs and sings Draws pictures of happiness"

"This mind of mine Doesn't care for any barrier Hoping to find you It comes back, again and again"

"Autumn is beginning, the weather is turning chill. Crickets move in to sing under my bed. A thousand things surge into my mind And grieve my heart. A thousand tales search for words; But to whom will they be told? The morning breeze flows under my sleeves, The moonlight thins, And the cock crows, As I turn my horses' heads towards home."

"There is a fair woman in the west, who is as bright as sunlight. She wears a dress of the finest silk and jewelry shines from her left, her right. Her face is a charm, so full of grace, lightly perfuming the breeze. Climbing upward, she keeps watch for her loved one, holding her sleeves, she faces the morning sun. She hovers, she drifts through the sky, waving her sleeves, she dances, flies like the wind, like a cloud, in [a] trance. Every so often, she glances at me, but for me this beauty is out of reach. Left alone, I lament my fate."

"Inscribe on your heart Every inch of the time at sunset."

"Despite having a successful artistic career (Slipak lived in France for the last 19 years of his life and worked as a soloist at the Paris Opera), he did not stay aloof to the hardships that our country was going through when the war started. He managed to juggle volunteer work and performing in plays and concerts at first, brought humanitarian aid himself, and in summer 2015, he put a successful career on hold and went to defend the country in the ranks of the Right Sector volunteer battalion. In particular, he fought the forces of the so-called ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ in Pisky... Slipak was a patriot, an excellent singer, and an example to all Ukrainians. (2017)"

"Vasyl’s unique voice extremely harmoniously combined with his physique. He was a tall man of attractive appearance and unfailing courtesy, and it all prompted adequate response from the audience. Above all, he emphasized schooling, culture and high technique of singing! Our country has lost a talented artist who sacrificed his international career to defend the nation for which he gave his life. “My task is to make sure that Vasyl is not forgotten, and therefore we will definitely hold a memorial festival at the Lviv Philharmonic Society from June 29 to July 1. (2017)"

"Mother once said our grandfather Vasyl, after whom my brother was named, had sung very well and been a very interesting person in general. So it is believed that Vasyl inherited his talent. He supposedly had a unique voice.(2017)"

"Vasyl was supposed to become my vocal adviser in my future project. For three years Slipak was a soloist at the Grand Opera. He got solo parts, but he also wanted to have concert practice, that is why he chose a sort of freelance. Mind you, when the war in the east of Ukraine broke out, his vocal career was on the rise. Characteristically, Vasyl did not give up his career, he would be active as a volunteer, then he would return from Ukraine to France to give concerts and appear in performances, and then again he would go to Ukraine, which he loved above all. And then again more concerts, and again back to the front. (2017)"