Love, music and Passion: An A.R.T.S Entertainment Showcase
By Owentando Zantsi
On the 28th of February, A.R.T.S. Entertainment hosted its Wine, Dine and Valentine showcase at Mango Ginger, bringing together creatives of all kinds within its walls. From headliner Kila G to artists like iSO, Ntsako, and Enby among many others, the room came to life with the sounds of live jazz, alternative R&B and poetic recitations that moved the soul. Mango Ginger’s cozy interior provided the perfect space for the intimate nature of these performances as well as allowing us to get to know the great talents behind them.
I-SO and Orie Kanjan
I-SO, otherwise known as Lisolomzi, is a Gqeberha native, with a passion for the jazzier side of life. His journey as a singer-songwriter started at just 9 years old, with him and a friend serenading girls on the street as he sang and his friend rapped. When he realised he wanted to dive deeper into the realm of music, he started as your average rapper but swiftly pivoted and decided it wasn’t the path for him.
“I used to be a rapper until I realised that doesn’t make money. It’s a very saturated market”
His craft is not his own alone as he regularly shares the stage with his younger brother Orie-kanjan, the xhosa centric rapper of the two. Even in other family members, he shares that his grandfather was also a musical maverick, breaking barriers as the lead singer and keyboardist for The Black Slaves—a South African band that worked with Lucky Dube. The musical background which drives I-SO is undeniable. For the fans that enjoyed their recent performances, more excitement comes from the pair this week as they are anticipating their first official Ep launch next month.
Kila G
Kila is not a new name in the Verve archives by any means, and this week we got a chance to hear where he’s been. Since last year, the young vocalist had moved from Cape Town to Johannesburg, leaving fans wondering where his journey is heading next. He shared how this decision to move was not only motivated by the music scene in the city, as most people would imagine.
“Most people think I moved because of the music, it does play a part, but I personally moved because the standard of living for me is better. I can actually get a place to rent. I like Joburg because it feels reachable for me.”
Enby
Johannesburg native Enby dabbles in both poetry and music. Their art began in theatre where they first fell in love with performance. They shared how, with the help of former classmates who praised them for the poetry they would recite in class, they gained the courage to create more. As someone whose identity greatly influences their work, Enby works hard to demand a space that accepts them wholly.
“It’s just something about being in a space where people are ready to perceive you as you are. And as an artist you have the power to create that space for yourself.”
In our conversation we dipped into the differences between the Cape Town and Johannesburg music scene and South Africa as a whole.
“Joburg is more so the propeller. In Cape Town you have the time and luxury to figure out who you are, who your fan base is and be experimental. There’ll be someone in your corner. Whereas Joburg is like ‘Is this the final product?’”
The fast-paced nature of Joburg’s creativity is confined to what’s trending and what sells. As the centre of South Africa’s music production, Enby shares that they feel this means it’s easy to get sucked into doing strictly what they deem is trending. Beyond that, they share that in today’s South Africa we are opening doors for ourselves and each other. And that in Cape Town, you will find someone to give you the time of day, emphasising a communal energy to the city.
Reflecting on the evening, it was clear that events like Wine, Dine and Valentine do more than entertain—they build community. Each lyric sung and note played are a reminder that art lives within Cape Town. Not just that, but it belongs in it and in any age, shape and style. The musicians that bustled through the streets of Observatory can know that at each corner, they are supported in their uniqueness by bodies such as A.R.T.S Entertainment. And for audiences, events like this remind us of the power of the underground artists in bringing nuance and freshness to their musical palettes. In a city like Cape Town where creativity is both expression and protest, the communities we build by venturing out into its spaces uplift both the performers and spectators alike.
