Issue 14  |  March 2010

Melanie Fiona to support Alicia Keys on UK tour

Grammy nominated R&B singer songwriter Melanie Fiona will join Alicia Keys on the UK dates of her forthcoming  tour.

12 x Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys will be touring the UK in May 2010 as part of her ‘The Element of Freedom’ 2010 pan European Tour.

MAY 2010 UK tour dates:

19th Birmingham NIA
23rd Glasgow SECC
25th London The O2
26th London The O2
29th Manchester MEN Arena

[Source: Stereoboard]

Jay-Z adds more dates to European tour

Jay-Z has confirmed that he will play a set of new dates in the UK in June (but no additional date for London.

Jay-Z’s new UK tour dates are as follows:

Manchester Arena, UK -7
Birmingham LG Arena, UK – 9
Isle of Wight, UK – 11
Wireless, UK – 4

[Source: MTV]

Michael Jackson’s estate signs historic deal with Sony

Michael Jackson’s estate signs a record-breaking deal with Sony worth up to $250 million (£165 million).

Under the agreement, unheard songs will be released, with a full new album planned for Christmas. We should also expect re-issues of classic albums and DVD’s of MJ’s videos.

Great news for all MJ fans. Let’s just hope that these unreleased songs are of a better calibre than This Is It (the song)

[Source: Times Online]

Gossip: singer Jamelia on not being a WAG anymore

UK singer Jamelia has never been one to mince her words. In this interview, she share thoughts on the Ashley-Cheryl Cole split and her divorce from footballer Darren Byfield.

“I would definitely not say I’m happy to be getting a divorce, but this is the situation as it is and I don’t need a man in my life to complete it. A man who is in my life has to enhance it, or it’s ‘bye bye!’”

Watch the video on ITN

RIF FESPACO Founder Mahaman Johnson Traore

Senegalese filmmaker, and one of the founders of the Pan-African Film festival (FESPACO), Mahaman Johnson Traore, died on Monday 8 March.

Created in 1969, the FESPACO is today the biggest cultural event of the African continent. Past FESPACA winners include Teza by Haile Gerima (2009) and Ezra by Newton Adua (2007)

[Source: Shadow and Act]

Arise Fashion Collective in Paris

On Friday 12 March, the Arise Fashion Collective made of the best African designers (including South Africans David Tlale and Lunar; Nigerians Momo and Tiffany Amber; Eric Raisina from Madagascar; Christie Brown from Ghana) presented theircollections in Paris, in a much awaited event titled L’afrique-A-Porter Fall 2010/2011.

This is the first time African designers were awarded an opportunity to present their work as an African collective to media and buyers on schedule at Paris Fashion Week.

[Source: iFashion]

Craig David Album Launch Party

Craig David performed live at Scala on Tue 9 March to promote his new album Signed Sealed Delivered, out on March 23rd.

Pics (c)  Ian Gavan/Getty Images

Mo’Nique wins Academy Award

After scooping up major awards for her performance in movie Precious (Golden Globe, BAFTA, Independent Spirit Awards…). Mo’Nique wins the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.

The video shows the comedian reacting to her win. Congrats!

Author Sapphire on “Push” and “Precious”

In a talk to students of the University of Saint Louis in Missouri, USA, author Sapphire talks about the inspiration behind her cult novel Push that has been made into hit movie “Precious” by filmmaker Lee Daniels.

Read the full article on stlamerican.com

How To Be An African

A humourous piece from Chika Unigwe, author of On Black  Sisters Street, on the Western world’s perception of how it is to be an African.

If you are a writer, never forget to acknowledge the fact that your writing style derives from the great story-telling traditions of your people. Talk about being inspired by hearing a wise ancient tell stories under the perfect moonlight of a village night. Fill your memories of such nights with the sounds of chirping crickets; of animals living in complete harmony with humans.

Read the full piece on Africawriting.com