It’s almost a year into various levels of lockdown and artists’ innovation simply knows no limits! The Joburg-based duo, Centipede, is giving us a taste of an alternative sound, they’ve been crafting throughout lockdown. Nandi Ndlovu aka Saylahasee, whom you might know from Kajama, joined forces with Hlasko aka Neo Mahlasela to create Centipede.
Centipede is a body of work inspired by the shared love for the song sung by Rebbie Jackson and produced by Michael Jackson.
According to the duo, the body of work is influenced by punk, jazz and new jack swing. On Friday, 26 February 2021 – yes, tomorrow! The pair will be presenting their work on Show4Me, just in time for the last Friday of the month! For only US$3, you can enjoy some familiar and new tunes from the duo.
One of the challenges faced by many artists in light of the pandemic is adapting their format. Nandi Ndlovu has been practising music from a tender age and she’s lived through various eras and has faced many challenges, as a woman who is a producer alongside being a performing artist in a male-dominated art form.
“Being a musician has been a roller coaster, both terrible and fun but I still have loads of fun creating music and I’ll never stop having fun creating music.”
In an interview with Bubblegum Club, Neo expressed the sentiment of creating music that people can listen to in the comfort of their own rooms, “I like to imagine it’s an intimate thing, in your room, [and] maybe on your computer like I am.” The interview took place four years ago and perhaps Hlasko was having a premonition in that moment of performance shifting into the online space, and into your home.
Of course, the circumstances of COVID19 have been rather tragic, but artists like Nandi and Hlasko have taken the moment to innovate and adapt. Centipede is just that, an adaptation and innovative outlook on creativity in a digital playground.
In a recent interview, Nandi mentions the challenges of creating music in the era of TikTok, short attention spans and the digital culture. The fusion of Nandi and Hlasko’s sound combines not just their varying sound but it’s also a fusion of influences and their alter-egos influenced by dance, techno, jazz, punk rock, new jack swing and more.
“Hence we simply stick to calling it an alternative experience that’ll certainly take your Friday to the next level! Wear your dancing shoes!”
Order your tickets here (where you can also pre-listen to the music): Show4me
