Freshlyground

Born in 2002 out of the cultural hotbed that is Cape Town South Africa, Freshlyground have become the musical voice of a nation's adolescent democracy. Featuring members of different ethnicities from South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe their diverse backgrounds have allowed them to weave a musical magic that is highly infectious and undeniably groovy.

Over the past nine years and across four aclaimed albums, its become increasingly hard to precisely pinpoint just one reason why Freshlyground is so universally adored.

Is it the magical combination of the players? - Zolania Mahola (lead vocals), Josh Hawks (bass), Seredeal Scheepers (keyboards, percussion), Kyla-Rose Smith (violin), Simon Attwell (flute, mbira, harmonica, sax), Julio Sigauque (guitars) and Peter Cohen (drums) together creating, as Time Magazin put it, a Benneton-esque lineup crossing cultural and age boundaries with ease.

Or is it the fact that the seven-piece has created a signature sound, most overtly rooted in Afro-pop but drawing on a head-spinning array of influences including soul, folk, kwassa-kwassa, and global dance - a sound that's delivered some of South Africa's most evergreen radio and dancefloor hits?

Maybe it's the band's legendary live shows which have been honed into something consistently special, driven by an infectious energy that no audience around the world has been able to resist?

Most likely, though, as any devoted Freshlyground fan (and there are many!) will tell you, it's a combination of all these things: for FG devotees, the magic lies in a band featuring excellent players who together write and record material that's impossible not to embrace and then perform live with the kind of energy that makes for lifelong memories.

Beginning with the release of Jika Jika in 2003 Freshlyground have carved out a massive following both in South Africa and around the world. Their music - a fusion of rock, jazz and Afro-pop has proven ime and time again to be a favourite amongst all audiences from young children to grandparents. The skill and joy with which it is delivered have made them perpetual crossover favourites.

Nomvula, their multi-platinum 2004 release, broke new ground for South African pop acts. Its first single - Doo Be Doo - was the most played song in South Africa in 2005. With four hit singles following it, Nomvula propelled the band to heights few reach. it has taken them to stages and festivals around Asia, Europe, Africa and North America. With 2007's Ma Cheri the band cemented their status as one of the finest acts to have ever come out of Southern Africa. They have won numerous awards including 4 South African Music Awards, 4 Metro FM Awards and an MTV Europe Music Award for "Best African Act" - a first for any SA musician.

Freshlyground have not forgotten their roots in the gritty reality of Sub-Saharan Africa where so many suffer. They have been supporters of the Desmund Tutu HIV Foundation since playing a fund raising concert for the Foundation in 2005.

Now, with their fourth studio album, 'Radio Africa', Freshlyground is preparing to broadcast the ingredients that have turned the seven-piece into one of South Afica's most treasured acts to the rest of the continent and the world.