meet the joburg finalists: luis_thedon

On November 30th and December 1st, eight acts will perform at the AFROPUNK Joburg Battle of the Bands Finals.

The Grand Prize at the Battle of the Bands is the once-in-a-lifetime chance to join the star-studded line-up of AFROPUNK Joburg 2018 at Constitution Hill on New Year’s Eve. But the Battle of the Bands is not only an opportunity at the huge break most musicians seek in their careers, it is also an occasion for these South African artists to showcase their music, their creative spirit and themselves to the AFROPUNK audience. So this week, we’re doing short spotlights on all eight finalists, asking them questions about who they are and what this moment means to them.

Meet Luis_thedon, an inspirational pop crooner with a honey voice.

What is you name, your age, and the instrument that you play?

Luyanda Makapela, 26 years-old, vocals.

Where are you from?

From Orlando, East Soweto.

What are your favorite things about where you are from?

Food and convenience.

Give us a short description of the kind of music you make.

It’s a combination of Afro-Pop/Soul, combined with elements of Jazz, Gospel and Pop.

If there was one or two core thoughts or ideas that you want your music to convey, what are they?

Inspiration and compassion.

What are your musical dreams and aspirations? Not fame-wise, but creatively. What do you think you can do with music?

To move and save souls and the dream is to share that with the world and mostly in areas that don’t have this kind of music or knowledge. Most importantly, to create experiences when I leave the stage…

Name one artist that you would like to collaborate with? What do you think that collaboration would sound like?

In S.A., it would be Angie Santana from UMG. Then, overseas, it’s gotta be Musiq Soulchild. It would sound pretty awesome to sing with both or either of them…

What are you most looking forward to if you win the Battle of the Bands? What do you think winning could do for you?

Performing for sooo many people who support and engage my music, and winning this competition would mean a lot for me because the timing is so perfect — I am recording an album — and my big break to kickstart my career as a solo act.

Anything else you want to say to the AFROPUNK audience as a way of introduction?

Thank you for this platform and what it stands for. Y’all are Amazing!!!

READ MORE ABOUT THE REST OF THE AFROPUNK JOBURG BATTLE OF THE BANDS FINALISTS:

MEET QUEER RAP DUO, KEABRUH&JAY.B

MEET LEON, A THOUGHTFUL “SINGING” SONGWRITER

MEET RED ROBYN, SINGER, MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST, “DREAMER”

MEET SOUL POP VOCALIST/RAPPER, THE RICKY TYLER SHOW

MEET ELECTRONIC SINGER-SONGWRITER, SIỎ

MEET AFRO-FOLK SINGER-GUITARIST, SERATI

MEET IKATI ESENGXOWENI, A SOULFUL ACOUSTIC DUO