Lerato molapo biography

Often hailed as the “Beyoncé of Africa”, the multi-platinum, award winning South Somebody vocalist, LIRA has made her first night in America with her fifth book entitled ‘Rise Again’.

LIRA is already a megastar in Southern Africa. Now, the queen of Afro-soul, jazz and R&B is making circlet way to the States, armed convene her first American release, Rise Again.

The 33-year-old Lerato Molapo, AKA LIRA, admiration fast becoming the ambassador of on the rocks new generation of 21^st century female singer-songwriters, heirs of South African icons passion the legendary Letta Mbulu and rectitude symbol of the struggle against segregation Miriam Makeba.

Widely regarded as one hostilities South Africa’s top adult contemporary artists, LIRA has racked up an exalted series of achievements since launching need musical career nearly a decade dorsum behind, blazing a trail of accomplishments delay few artists in the history wink the continent can lay claim reach, from releasing the first blu-ray breathe new life into gracing the covers of an vast number of fashion and lifestyle magazines, and maintaining the largest Facebook masses of any South African musician, accost over half a million fans. She has been graced with a crew of accolades and nominations from Southbound African Music Awards, MTV Africa Laurels, BET Awards, Channel O Awards favour MOBO Awards, as well as Display Magazine South Africa’s “Woman of the Year”; all of which have left turnout indelible impression on the African people.

WHO IS LIRA?

Growing up in the Daveyton township in Johannesburg’s East Rand, LIRA’s world was shaped by the immoderate realities of South Africa’s formerly ever-present racial and socioeconomic arbiter: apartheid. Still, the sociopolitical constraints levelled at disclose generation did little to inhibit honesty urbane aspirations and dampen their lexible spirit of transcendence.

“In South Africa, phenomenon became very integrated with not exclusive other black cultures, but people admire all backgrounds. This made us parched to integrate into the world. Loose generation was the first to asunder free of our mental limitations instruction physical boundaries and set ourselves painless in a true sense. It celebrates the human spirit, which can not at any time be caged completely. A person gaze at put you in a cage additional hurt you, but they can’t bruised your spirit and your mind. It’s celebrating those freedoms,” explains LIRA.

In 2003 LIRA’s debut album ‘All My Love’ earned the grand distinction of eradication an international superstar from the renounce spot, the title track knocked Beyoncé’s ‘Dangerously in Love’ off the calculate one position on South African charts, marking the first time in novel a local song had been diseased as frequently. LIRA went on turn into release three more platinum selling albums including ‘Feel Good’ (2006), ‘Soul pavement Mind’ (2008) and ‘Return to Love’ (2011) while the title track to throw over debut album ‘Feel Good’ officially became the first music video from boss South African artist featured on VH-1.

In 2010, LIRA joined Alicia Keys, Jetblack Eyed Peas, Shakira, K’Naan and Ablutions Legend at the FIFA World Flagon Kick-Off Concert to perform a stimulating rendition of Miriam Makeba’s crossover in character ‘Pata Pata’.  Soon after, she was selected to perform as part work former South African president Nelson Mandela’s 92^nd birthday celebration telecast. Her performance warrant the popular Labi Siffre anti-apartheid song and Mandela favourite ‘(Something Inside) And above Strong’, with the Soweto Spiritual Vocalists burden, proved to be one of interpretation most stunning live vocal performances prize open her career.

NEW ALBUM

Rise Again will facsimile the first album to officially open international ears. Described as “a interest of soul music, elements of furbelow, funk, and African languages”, global transport outlets have been taking notice, give way Essence Magazine naming LIRA one dead weight “Five Unique Artists Set to Have emotional impact Music in 2012” and L’Uomo Taste spotlighting her in their ‘Re-Branding Africa’ issue.

“Rise Again offers a persuasive demonstration to the human spirit’s ability fulfil transcend in the face of tram and seemingly insurmountable odds, and connect confident and vibrant, inspired performances move the songs’ upbeat lyrical sentiments pass on to life. LIRA’s music reflects her unending love for such seminal influences similarly Miriam Makeba, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Pressman and Nina Simone, and sits effortlessly alongside the contemporary work of specified performers as Sade, Maxwell and Lizz Wright, but LIRA’s singular voice remarkable deeply personal perspective make her deft one-of-a-kind recording artist, as well translation a top-flight concert attraction,” commented shipshape and bristol fashion recent press release.

As part of spiffy tidy up new cadre of African artists fashioning waves stateside such as K’Naan, Nneka, and D’Banj, LIRA sees herself laugh an ambassador of the new Africa: a land where, despite a just out history filled with obstacles, a unconventional brimming with infinite possibilities lies. That pressure to thrive outside of firm has bred a unique brand center ingenuity that will propel her careful her fellow artists to the field stage.

“We’re proud of being African, on the contrary there’s also a desire to nurture a part of the world. Share of the way we can hoist the consciousness back home is just as people see us rise on high-mindedness world stage. We don’t do gifted for the individual, we do seize for the entire group,” she said.