Source: sapeople.com
PJ Powers is an inspiring South African legend whose songs and powerful voice crossed racial and cultural boundaries and made her a household name in South Africa at the height of apartheid. She wrote and performed songs that focused on reconciliation and celebrated the vibrant and diverse cultures of South Africa. It's easy to understand why she earned the nickname Thandeka ("loved one").
She started her musical career with an all female group called Pantha and then became the lead singer of Hotline, a group which lasted seven years and recorded many hits that made South Africans dance while simultaneously sharing a message of much-needed optimism. After the band came to an end in the late 80s, PJ Powers embarked on a highly successful solo career, one of the highlights being her collaboration with Lady Smith Black Mambazo on the 1995 Rugby World Cup song, World in Union. She also received a letter from Nelson Mandela, written while he was still imprisoned, which was the start of a close friendship with the future president. It's no surprise that she performed at his inauguration as well as his 85th birthday in 2003.
I've had the privilege of experiencing her mesmerizing voice and magnetic persona live on more on than one occasion. I have also read her memoir, Here I Am, which made me love and admire her more because her journey has been anything but easy. Her charisma, grace and resilience are inspiring and her music continues to warm my soul.
Here are my seven favourite PJ Powers songs (in chronological order):
You're So Good To Me (with Hotline)
Taken from Hotline's debut album, Burnout, this power ballad boasts a soaring chorus while the underlying narrative of forbidden love ("I'm not supposed to be in love with you but I am") struck a chord with many South Africans for whom love across colour lines was illegal.Feel So Strong (with Hotline)
This song is hands down my favourite. The original version was recorded in 1983 but various incarnations of the song have been released over the years, including a 2001 Shebeen Mix and stunning live version recorded with Karen Zoid on her talk show, Republiek van Zoid Afrika.Jabulani (with Hotline)
This song was a huge hit for the band and was a favourite among South Africans throughout the 80s. Its opening guitar hook is instantly recognizable and Powers' raspy vocals are a unifying cry for people to "sing and dance and love and feel and jabulani! (a Zulu word meaning "rejoice").Jive Pantsula (with Hotline)
According to Esquire, the pantsula is a "quick-footed dance style and surrounding culture that were born in the 1950s and ’60s amidst forced population removals by the newly elected apartheid government of South Africa". This catchy song encapsulates this high-energy dance style perfectly.Bette Davis Eyes
Kim Carnes' 1981 version made the song popular and spent nine weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. PJ Powers added her distinctive vocals and a little extra pop flare to the classic song in 2001, turning it into one of her own hits.Destiny
The powerful title track from her 2013 critically acclaimed album (which was excited to have her autograph) that emphasizes the importance of taking control of your life to fulfill your own destiny:I'm gonna be my destiny
I'm gonna take my hand
And lead me down the road to where I want to be
I'm gonna be my destiny
I'm gonna look up now and shine
And know that I create my own destiny
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