Thirteen years down the road, and fresh as ever

Afro-fusion band, Freshlyground played to a full house at Jock Pub & Grill in Mbombela on Friday. Five members of the originally seven-man band played a set consisting of various old favourites and brand-new songs. Having been together since 2002, it was amazing that the group still managed to bring so much energy to the stage. Whether they were dancing, singing or playing their various instruments, each member brought a liveliness to the stage that added a touch of magic to the overall performance.
Lead vocalist Zolani Mahola is sporting a slimmer look of late after giving birth to her son in 2013. But half the size doesn’t mean half the oomph, in fact it seems that she brings more energy and vigour to her performances than ever before. In terms of vocal quality, few local and even international singers come close to Mahola’s strong and soothing alto voice. With backing vocals by violinist Kyla-Rose Smith, and strong performances by the multi-talented band members, one could easily mistake the performance for a studio-quality recording with closed eyes.
From “Waka Waka” to “Nomvula”, and “Doo Be Doo” to “Buttercup”, the band moved from energetic to emotional performances, captivating the audience from the first beat right down to the final encore. They also treated the crowd to a sneak-preview performance of their brand-new single, and fans were thoroughly impressed.

Freshlyground is famous for the way its music can transcend culture and race, and the crowd that gathered at Jock was proof of this fact.
Mahola announced on stage, “This is what Freshlyground is! This is what we are about, bringing people together through music.”