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Following her appearance at Red Bull Symphonic, Rorisang Sechele will perform at this weekend's Joburg Kids Love Jazz concert.
Rorisang Sechele was the Vocal Music Director at this year’s Redbull symphonic. Picture: Rorisang Sechele/Facebook
Singer Rorisang Sechele was involved in the recent Red Bull Symphonic for a second year, and this year’s edition came with more responsibility as she was the Vocal Music Director.
“That came with new responsibilities such as arranging the vocal parts for the choir, selecting the choir members, coordinating movements, and ensuring everything came together cohesively,” Sechele tells The Citizen.
This year’s Red Bull Symphonic was hosted at The Teatro, Montecasino for three days.
“It was a fulfilling challenge and added a whole new dimension to my involvement in the Symphonic.”
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Rorisang’s role at the symphonic
Last year’s edition of the symphonic featured Kabza De Small and Ofentse Pitse as the leads. This year, Kelvin Momo and music director and conductor Adam Howard were the stars of the show.
“This year felt quite different in terms of preparation and my role,” shares Sechele adding that the rehearsal process was much more seamless and efficient, compared to the previous year.
“We didn’t spend long hours or several weeks rehearsing like before. I think that’s largely because the music arrangements were well-prepared and easier to grasp in a shorter time.”
She says preparation began about two months before the show, when she and Howard first started discussing the vision for the choir.
“He shared his ideas for certain songs but also gave me the creative freedom to run wild, which really allowed me to shape the vocal elements in a meaningful way,” Sechele says of her creative freedom.
She arranged vocals for 12 songs over the course of about five consecutive days.
“I also created detailed vocal guides and count-ins, which allowed the choir to rehearse and familiarize themselves with the material even before we came together for final rehearsals. That preparation really contributed to how smoothly everything came together in the end.”
ALSO READ: Adam Howard: SA’s adopted son who fell in love with the music and never looked back
Rorisang and The Seed
Sechele is a recording artist in her own right after the release of her debut project this year, a seven-track album titled The Seed.
Her music is tranquil and the perfect accompaniment to long drives and sunsets.
“The reception has honestly exceeded my expectations. It’s incredibly heart-warming to hear people say the album brightens their day or that they can’t start their morning without a dose of The Seed,” says Sechele.
She shares that one of the biggest highlights since the album was released in February was receiving recognition from China Moses, daughter of three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Dee Dee Bridgewater.
“She featured The Seed on her segment on one of the world’s leading jazz radio stations, which was a huge honour. The album was also nominated for Best Jazz Act at the Urban Music Awards, which is another milestone I’m deeply grateful for.”
The South African State Theatre supported The Seed through the Incubator Programme, which meant Sechele had to be selective about what she included on the album.
“I also had to work within specific deadlines, which meant being strategic about what was included in The Seed.”
However, since the song was her first official release, she says it has played a significant part in her musical journey. The word ‘tsoga’ means to rise or wake up.
“Tsoga carries a message that I felt needed to be heard first. Even though it doesn’t sonically align with the rest of the album, its purpose was to awaken, to call people to rise.”
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Kids Love Jazz
Sechele is on the line-up for this year’s edition of Joburg jazz concert, Kids Love Jazz.
The concert epitomises South Africa’s vibrant jazz scene, which is so alive that young people, who aren’t often viewed as its target market, gravitate towards the genre.
“What makes this especially meaningful is seeing young people embrace jazz and make it their own. As a young artist myself, it’s beautiful to witness how jazz is being reimagined and celebrated by a new generation,” says Sechele.
“We often hear that jazz is ‘old people’s music,’ but here we are, vibrant, youthful, and redefining what jazz looks and sounds like today.”
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