Afro glamazon in heels: Simphiwe Dana

Simphiwe Dana has reinvented herself.

THERE'S just no slowing down Simphiwe Dana.

The singer has been busy working around the clock, recently releasing the single Nzima from her forthcoming album. The album, which has yet to be titled, will be her fourth.

In the past few months, she has also been a choir master on Mzansi Magic's reality TV show Clash of the Choirs and was a major player in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as part of the AU's conference on its vision for 2063.

She's also unveiled a glamorous new look - gone are the dreadlocks, minimal makeup and simple apparel.

Now we have an Afro weave-wearing glamazon in liquid tights and stilettos.

"I woke up one day blaming my locks for all the negativity I had at the time of my life. I felt all the 12 years growing them heavy on my shoulders," she explains about letting go of her trademark hair.

Hair, after all, is sacred business, the obvious coming in the form of religious practices.

US rapper Talib Kweli perfectly captures Dana's analogy in his song Expansion Outro. Inspired by Nina Simone's classic song Four Women, he raps: "My hair is woolly/and it attracts a lot of energy/she gotta dead that/the head wrap is a remedy."

In Kweli's song the woman has to cover her hair to ensure that whatever negativity the hair has attracted can be subdued or hidden.

Dana says the ritual of chopping of her hair represented a new page in her life.

"Changing my hairstyle would be a step towards that; I did feel lighter. I still do."

And it would seem that this lightness has allowed the singer to venture into new and exciting territory when it comes to growing her career and brand.

Though her choir didn't get far on Clash of the Choirs, Dana believes that the experience was worth it.

"It was a very inspiring time - the opportunity to not only shape young minds, but also to have a 20-piece choir at my disposal. I learnt a lot and I'm grateful for the opportunity."

But far closer to her heart is the opportunity to have been part of the AU's conference. She and more than 100 artists from across the continent met to draft the arts and culture chapter for the AU's Vision 2063.

This chapter falls under the Africa ReImagined Creative Hub, which seeks to create a different dialogue on the development of Africa.

Dana says she approached the chairwoman of the AU Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, while in Addis Ababa for another project some time ago to prioritise the role of arts and culture in the assembly's plans. Dlamini-Zuma then tasked her to co-ordinate and bring the artists together.

The musician says the experience has been life-changing.

"I personally have never been in such an electric space. It is so easy for us to get familiar with each other as Africans.

"All these countries I've never been to were there under the same roof, enthusiastic about charting a new trajectory."

And through this she has already started collaborating. She's working on a song with Mali's Grammy-winning Kora musician Mamadou Diabate.

However, it's her album most are patiently waiting to hear. It's still unclear when it'll hit shelves, but Dana says she's already made her selection of 12 songs, out of about 25 songs she's produced.

She describes it as one that will be contrary to her usual sound.

"This album is different in that I have challenged myself to go outside the confines of vintage Simphiwe.

"This time around I am challenging myself to explore different sounds that are out of my creative scope."

One thing is for sure, Dana has reinvented herself and if her record is anything to go by, she will strike gold with this album as well.