Rene Tshiakanyi, live in concert
Rene Tshiakanyi is a familiar presence at elegant dining establishments in and around greater Durban. Singing both in French and English, he describes his music and compositions as a mixture of classic pop; RnB; reggae and Zouk (which is a mixture of French and Caribbean music). His sound is undeniably distinctive. The singer will also be using this concert to shoot his live DVD.
CHARMING French-Congolese singer, Rene Tshiakanyi, will be live in concert with friends, at the Catalina Theatre for one night only, Friday 29 November starting at 7pm.
Rene Tshiakanyi is a familiar presence at elegant dining establishments in and around greater Durban. Singing both in French and English, he describes his music and compositions as a mixture of classic pop; RnB; reggae and Zouk (which is a mixture of French and Caribbean music). His sound is undeniably distinctive. The singer will also be using this concert to shoot his live DVD.
“I like to work between English and French – I feel it adds value to the cultural diversity of our country,” he said. Rene was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1981. The second of 12 children, he developed a love for music and performance. He relocated to South Africa in 2008 and now resides in Durban.
Many of his songs are thoughtful and reflective – about love, emotion and passion in all its guises. Increasingly though, his new music talks about pertinent global issues: the crisis in the Congo, the plight of refugees; the quest for peace and freedom in Africa and the need to be the voice for the voiceless sufferers of violence. He is an active ambassador for orphans and vulnerable children who are victims of the ongoing unrest and violence in Eastern Congo.
Rene will be promoting his album entitled: Now that I am free. He will be joined on stage by Richard Ellis on drums and Stella Martin, co-principal oboist with the KZNPO.
“When I grew up I knew that music was a career for me, although it was not an easy choice. When I look back, playing my guitar on the street, to now being at a place where I have had the opportunity to create an album and will be shooting a DVD it feels like a dream come true. That is why I want to thank all my fans with this upcoming performance on 29 November for their strong support because I am who I am because of their support,” he said.
“I am happy that I don’t have one favourite track on my album. When people ask me what my favourite song on the album is, I can easily say all are my favourite – it depends on the experience and mood of the moment. The music echoes my philosophy on life: Life is beautiful don’t give up easily because life offers a lot of possibilities. It may be hard but never impossible,” he said.
Rene Tshiakanyi is available on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube and LinkedIn, and his website is: www.renetshiakanyi.com.
Rene Tshiakanyi live in concert at the Catalina Theatre, Wilson’s Wharf on Friday 29 November at 7pm. Tickets R100 show only and R160 show and dinner. Book at Computicket / 0861 915 8000
