WeeklySA_AdminBUOYANT: After surviving a stroke, which affected her speech, the highly talented songbird is absolutely excited and ‘feeling something inside her so strong’ ahead of her post-recovery concert next month…
By Priscilla Malinga
The rise-to-fame story of Lerato Moipone Molapo, the songstress known as Lira, has been nothing short of phenomenal – and much so her remarkable recovery in two years from illness.
To the unversed, she is South Africa’s powerhouse and an internationally acclaimed music icon, a multi award winning songstress who took the music scene by storm from the tender age of 16 when she started writing songs.
She has made such an impact internationally, travelling the world while mesmerising global audiences, until adversity struck when she suffered a stroke and took her speech in April 2022. The incident happened while she was on tour in Germany, forcing her to be off the stage for a period of over two years.
Following her steady recovery, this year she began an arduous road back on stage, which will see on performing on May 25. This long-awaited return has had her fans bristling with a sense of anticipation, as they cannot wait to see her do what she does best, performing on stage.
Last month, she found a fake video that was positioning her as an uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party endorser, something that terribly upset her, and left her wondering why anyone would want to do that to her. She mentioned that she did not want to entertain the fake news as she was firmly focusing on her health and the upcoming music show – the first after her long illness and the most anticipated.
According to an article published in The Citizen on March 28, the MK party said it did know why someone had created an impression that Lira was endorsing it.
In a one-on-one interview with Weekly SA Mirror, Lira says the stroke usually caused an injury to the brain but hers was the ischemic version which affected her language centre, resulting in her inability to speak, read and write. “I was diagnosed with Aphasia,” says Lira. “I had to take a break, it wasn’t my choice, I had to take a break from everything as stroke recovery takes time”.
On her road to recovery she had to learn to speak, read and write all over again. “I started with vowels only a few after a week,” she says.
After a year, she could speak clearly enough for people to understand what she was saying. During the first year, she used to use gestures to communicate and the few words that she could pick up. So, she focused on learning to communicate.
When asked how she prepared herself for the upcoming event, Lira says she has been singing everyday so she can get comfortable with singing.
“I haven’t been on stage for two years, but I think it’s going to be like riding a bike. I (still) remember how to sing. Nobody can hold my excitement, I am so excited,” she gushes.
She is thankful to the people who helped her on her journey for recovery – especially her therapist parents, her partner, and her friends.
“I had so much homework to do, they would encourage me to speak,” says the songstress, still amazed at her remarkable recovery. “I would practise, whispering a thing (to myself) before speaking out. I still do that with Zulu and certain things in English”. She was fascinated by the power of the mind as she found that the more she practised, the easier it would get. “I was making progress no matter how small and I was happy about that”.
As a humble, sweet and gentle soul, Lira is in love with nature. She showed me a picture of a huge spider that visited her house, the size of a hand, and she says she let it stay because it was not there to harm anyone.
Most people only know her musical side, but do not know her personal interests. She enjoys being outside with nature and eating healthy. Favourite place at home is the porch.
Meanwhile she can’t wait to rock the fans during the show, which will also feature Nomfundo Moh, Maleh, Tanzania and Moroccan acts which will be joining Lira during her return. The show will be taking place at Bassline on May 25 to celebrate Africa Day at Constitution Hill.
“The event is dedicated to women celebrating the mothers, sisters & daughters who have the resilience, nurturing power, courage, creativity and tenacity that keeps them and their families going, and, in so doing, the continent going,” says creative director Paige Holmes.
On stage, will also be South African Metrofm Best African Pop nominee Nomfundo Moh, who released her first single of 2024 last week, titled Umusa, featuring superstars Msaki and Cassper Nyovest.
Lesotho-born and South African resident Maleh is also on the Bassline Fest lineup. Maleh has over 20 years in the live music industry, with her recent album, Lerato Laka released in February 2022 and launched in London through her UK agent Utour. This recent body of work was produced by Nigerian artist Victor Ikeigbo, aka Goldsmithonthebeat, and has expanded the artist’s reach by brilliantly fusing the customary African drum patterns and raw basslines of West Africa, with the smooth classic soulful sounds and melodies that are distinct to Southern African music.
The Bassline Fest is grateful to its supporting partner the Department of Sport Arts & Culture for coming on-board in the support of the live music industry and in celebration of Africa Month and 30 years of Democracy, also its associate partner Castle Lite.
Says Bassline Live’s Brad Holmes: “We also say thank you, our music industry partners, the Africa Rising Music Conference who are proud to be collaborating with Bassline Fest for the second year in a row, in so doing staying true to their core mission of building bridges and creating opportunities for international acts to perform in South Africa during the Africa Month”.
“This year, we are excited to announce Rita Kamale (UK/Morocco) as one of the featured artists at the Bassline Fest, further cementing our commitment to showcasing diverse and vibrant musical talent on a global stage.” States Sarah Jane Nicholson ARMC Founder.
The IGODA network, which is the first African Festivals tour circuit to be created with Bassline as a founder member, bringing together the finest music festivals primarily within Southern Africa.
Bassline Fest will start at 2pm and end at 11pm. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster. https://www.ticketmaster.co.za/artist/bassline-fest-tickets/1259603. Early-bird tickets are already sold out with tickets now available priced at R320 & R100 for children under the age of 12.
