Johannesburg, 20 Apr 2020
COVID-19 and regulations to curb its spread are affecting everyone in the world. How we choose to cope during this uncertain time is entirely up to us, but musicians in South Africa have decided to rock out lockdown blues instead.
In a rocking rendition of the South African anthem, "Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika", Mauritz Lotz and Phil Manzanera, together with some of SA’s best guitarists and bassists, are ready to send chills down your spine, inspire, give thanks and, ultimately, entertain.
"Music is one of the best universal languages and connects us all," says Lotz about the Nkosi tribute he composed. Domains.co.za is the proud sponsor of the recording, which has been put together in Assegai Audio Studio by Robin Walsh and features SA bassists Denny Lalouette and Concord Nkabinde, guitarists Mauritz Lotz, Loki Rothman, Albert Frost, Nathan Smith, Luke van der Merwe, Louis Mhlanga, Andy Innes and Alistair Coakley, as well as UK musician and record producer Manzanera (co-producer of Pink Floyd’s “On an Island” with David Gillmore).
At the moment, non-essential businesses and workers across the country are all feeling the effects of the restrictions of the national lockdown. And essential businesses and frontline workers, on the other hand, while operational, expose themselves and their direct families to this pandemic every day. There are no winners here, which is why South African entertainers are still working hard to spread a message of hope and unity to uplift spirits and bring joy through initiatives such as the #AnthemChallengerSA and the #TsekCorona!
Electric and acoustic guitarists and bassists, together with Lotz, Manzanera and Walsh, tried to achieve exactly this with the #NkosiRockLockdown song and music video. From their various #Lockdown locations, each artist rocked it out the only way they know how. This just goes to show there are no barriers for our South African musicians and no limit to the power of music.
"We are stronger together," adds Lotz.
This is a message that rings true in every country in the world at the moment.
“We are all in this together and we will get through this together,” Manzanera confirms.
In the full #NkosiRockLockdown music video, other South African artists like Jacques de Villiers, Cindy Altar, Dan Patlansky, Leon Gropp, Kyle Seconna, Neill Solomon, Steffie Le Roux, Dawie de Jager and Kreesan Pillay all share their messages of hope and give thanks to those in SA fighting at the front.
“Look inside of yourself for a bit of encouragement. Keep on inspiring through your music and finding your own music inside yourself,” says Gropp.
Seconna inspires with: “We are not alone. We are doing this not as nation, not as a culture, not as a colour, but as a world. Share your gift because that is something no one can take away from you.”
As a domains and hosting company, Domains.co.za is passionate about the potential the Internet can unlock for small businesses, start-ups and entrepreneurships.
#IntroduceYourBusinessOnline is an initiative to help motivate the public to realise their business dreams, and to use the Internet to do so.
“We hope that this song and video, along with all the other wonderful initiatives other artists and companies have brought out during this challenging time, will serve as inspiration. Anything is possible. And for an online business, it all starts with a domain name,” says Domains.co.za CEO Wayne Diamond.
Watch #NkosiRockLockdown