“Lov Madiba”King Charles feat. Katie Melua and Shingai Shoniwa
The Cherry Party (2013)
Currently available on Amazon and iTunes
By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog
While attending a presentation by South African President Nelson Mandela in Durban in 1996, I was overwhelmed by the wonderfully joyous harmony singing that broke out spontaneously from the crowd just prior to the president’s arrival. It was clear from that introduction that Mandela wasn’t just the people’s president: he was the savior of a people oppressed for decades, a modern Moses.
Just as Madiba was feted in life, so should he be remembered in death of body, if not in spirit. King Charles feels the same sentiment. A former member of the band Adventure Playground and son of a South African student activist, he salutes the late leader with “Lov Madiba.” He is joined by the always fetching Katie Melua (“Red Balloons”) and Noisettes vocalist Shingai Shoniwa.
“Lov Madiba” is a salute of gratitude to the man who changed the destiny of all South Africans and proved to the world that persistence has the power to overcome obstacles. It’s a rock anthem not unlike something Northern Irish rockers Stiff Little Fingers might have done in the 1980s.
“I think it one of the great privileges of our lifetime to have shared a lifetime with Mandela,” King Charles said. “I would like to do all I can to keep his legacy very active. I think there is power in singing and shouting the name of freedom, and it is a role I think I can play in a very relevant struggle.”
Ally Horn of Sarm Studios donated the studio time so all net proceeds of the recording will benefit the Nelson Mandela’s Children Fund, a South African-based charitable organization founded by the great leader. “Lov Madiba” is the first release of the newly-formed record label The Cherry Party, a venture with Sony Music.
Written by : Bob Marovich
Bob Marovich is a gospel music historian, author, and radio host. Founder of Journal of Gospel Music blog (formally The Black Gospel Blog) and producer of the Gospel Memories Radio Show.
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