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TO WOW THE USA: Lira will perform at US President Barack Obama's inauguration. PHOTO: MABUTI KALI

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Speaking in Johannesburg yesterday, Mashatile told soul singer Lira, jazz legend Hugh Masekela and dance music outfit MiCasa that they should be proud of their African heritage because the whole of South Africa would be behind them.

Award-winning songbird Lira said she was proud to represent her country.

She said this was an opportunity for her and the other artists to show the world what Africa is made of.

"When you are out there, you must celebrate being African," she said.

Lira said Obama was a symbol of success for African people all over the world.

She also dropped a hint about what she would wear during her performance.

"It will be a huge African statement," she said, and added that it was designed by David Tlale who is coincidentally set to showcase his designs at the forthcoming New York Fashion Week.

Masekela, whose album Jabulani has just received a Grammy Award nomination, assured Mashatile that the Grammy would be "coming home".

Masekela said he had been asked to perform a tribute to former president Nelson Mandela by the African American Church Commission.

He told MiCasa not to be surprised by their sudden success. "Things that come from heritage will always stand forever."

- mahopoz@sowetan.co.za

Comments

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Fri May 24 05:01:33 SAST 2013 ::

Jan 17, 2013

Vhamsanda

Masekela said he had been asked to perform a tribute to former president Nelson Mandela by the African American Church Commission.
************

Itjo!!! This is the same Masekela who had a problem with Mandela for receiving all the attention.


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Jan 17, 2013

MommaC

Wow but Lira is such a stunningly beautiful lady. It never fails to make me smile when I see her photo or hear her singing.

Knock their socks off guys :)
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Jan 17, 2013

Voetzek

Masekela you have our support but try to sing with english there because they wont understand "mamoriri moswana or stimela se hamba nge malahla"
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Jan 17, 2013

Tlakenyobehle!

Voetzek
Masekela you have our support but try to sing with english there because they wont understand "mamoriri moswana or stimela se hamba nge malahla"
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

then is no longer heritage
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Jan 17, 2013

Tso-girl

all the best with your performance Lira. i love your music girl
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Jan 17, 2013

letwadi

Lira ke Molepo eupsa ga a tsebe go opela Sepedi!!!
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Jan 17, 2013

MGEEZ

I guess it is befitting to wish the artist well as they would be representing our country? All the best guys. However I think that it is sensationalism to suggest that Lira is beautiful; even if we relegate beauty to the eye of a beholder; an objective beholder will still find impossible to call Lira beautiful just by looking at her physical appearance!!! Which leaves us with only one other way to assess this quality in her and that is our knowledge of her character attributes. Seeing that most of us in this blog have not such knowledge of her; then we are back at one isn't????
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Jan 17, 2013

MommaC

MGEEZ

(surfer accent) Geez, dude, you're so deep I can't even see you.
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Jan 17, 2013

letwadi

@Mgeez - I tend to agree with you, sometimes we say things because we afraid or simply because we want to sound right. I struggle to see beauty in Lira and will never say she is beautiful when the ooposite is true.
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Jan 17, 2013

DJ-Winner

She has a beautiful voice. That is what people should be saying.
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