Backing vocalist Bucy Radebe has decided that her time in the background has ended. 

Radebe, whose actual name is Phumulani Asnath Radebe, will on Saturday finally headline her first event, after lending her inimitable vocals to support the likes of gospel giants Solly Mahlangu and Spirit of Praise 7, as well as Mmatema Moremi, Takie Ndou and Zaza.

Leading up to the event, the artist said the show, dubbed 'Restoration Night', which will take place at the Mmabatho Convention Centre in the North West, was the fulfilment of a long-held dream.

She says she always dreamt of sharing the stage with household names, particularly those in the gospel genre. Now that the dream is coming into fruition, the 31-year-old could not be more thrilled, particularly since some illustrious names like Lebo Sekgobela, Dr Tumi and Benjamin Dube, have cleared their schedules to show her some love.

“It is not every day that one gets to share the stage with their idols, but I am one of the lucky few who will have that honour. These are some of the people I looked up to when I was young, and it is an absolute honour that I will be sharing a platform with them. Of course, I feel the pressure of being in their midst, and I obviously do not want to let them and my fans down, but it is a nice kind of pressure to have,” said Radebe with a chuckle.

Born in Soshanguve, North of Pretoria in 1987, the songbird has always had a deep and enduring love for music, and she acted on it when she joined her school choir, Mafumbuka primary school choir, at the tender age of 10. She was also a member of her church’s youth choir, the House of Praise, in Mabopane.

“I have always loved music. There is something about singing which brought me so much joy and I am glad that I followed my passion. While I have not yet reached the heights I plan to reach, I believe that I am on the right path,” said Radebe.

The singer plans to make full use of the lessons she learnt from years of watching the artists she worked with handle all facets of their craft and she plans to use the experience she gained to catapult her career to new highs.

“Working with someone like Ntate Mahlangu has been an eye-opener. I have learnt and continue to learn about the dynamics of the music industry. All these lessons will come in handy once I establish myself in the industry,” she said.

Asked what her fanbase, which she has already built from some of the solo features in Spirit of Praise can expect on November 2, Radebe simply had this to say: “A night of wonderful music. I will be singing hymns that we all grew up listening to in church. I have just given these a touch of magic and I assure my fans that it will be an unforgettable night,” she said.

The event, which will also be a live recording of Radebe’s DVD, is part of the birthday celebrations of Thapelo Thoboke, her manager.

Radebe plans to make full use of the lessons she learnt from years of watching the artists she worked with handle all facets of their craft and she plans to use the experience she gained to catapult her career to new highs.

“Working with someone like Ntate Mahlangu has been an eye-opener. I have learnt and continue to learn about the dynamics of the music industry. All these lessons will come in handy once I establish myself in the industry,” she said.

Asked what her fanbase, which she has already built from some of the solo features in Spirit of Praise can expect on November 2, Radebe simply had this to say: “A night of wonderful music. I will be singing hymns that we all grew up listening to in church. I have just given these a touch of magic and I assure my fans that it will be an unforgettable night,” she said.

The event, which will also be a live recording of Radebe’s DVD, is part of the birthday celebrations of Thapelo Thoboke, her manager.