Raised and schooled in the Eastern Cape, multi-award-winning singer J’Something said The Herald newspaper had played a significant role in his formative years and in serving the community.
It is for this reason that the Mi Casa band member is excited to perform at The Herald’s milestone 180th birthday celebration on Friday May 2.
SA’s oldest newspaper will be celebrated with a music gala evening at the Sun Boardwalk Convention Centre, dedicated to raising funds towards the Kolisi Foundation — supporting the incredible work within the foundation’s education and sports programme.
Seen as an opportunity to give back to the city that has supported the paper over the past 180 years, the red-carpet event with a three-course meal will also pay tribute to Springbok captain Siya Kolisi for the pivotal role he has played not only in his community, but across SA.
The black-tie event is at 6pm, with guests expected to arrive between 4.30pm and 5.30pm.
In addition to J’Something’s performance, Eastern Cape born and raised artists Ami Faku and Dumza Maswana will also take to the stage, as well as legendary singer-songwriter Sipho “Hotstix” Mabusa, who has played a huge role in the New Brighton jazz scene.
Unathi Nkayi will host the event.
J’Something — real name Joao da Fonseca — said just as reporters told stories for a living, so did musicians.
Born in Portugal, J’Something moved to SA when he was seven years old.
He went to school in Makhanda and though he has since moved out of the province with his family, his mother still resides in Port Alfred.
He said The Herald had been instrumental over the years in uplifting local artists, and it continued to hold a lot of cherished memories.
Having previously partnered with the Siya Kolisi Foundation, he said it was a fitting way to celebrate a birthday by raising funds for a charitable cause.
“To be able to be there to celebrate The Herald and in some ways my upbringing, is very cool.
“If I had to put a level of excitement on it, it would have to be a 10 out of 10.
“It is not just a show for me, it is a reminder of my childhood.
“I vividly remember excitedly opening the paper to see if Graeme College was mentioned, and if my name would be there.”
From the age of 15, J’Something had played first team rugby and cricket for the Makhanda boys’ school.
That schoolboy excitement of seeing a picture of himself scoring a try in print, to gracing the pages on a regular basis due to his successful music career, has never faded.
The musician, chef, TV presenter, entrepreneur and author became a member of Mi Casa in 2011, and they released their first album that year.
The album won several awards at the SA Music Awards in 2012.
He said The Herald had been a huge part of the band’s success with the numerous articles that were published.
“In the beginning of my career with Mi Casa, there was a lot of exposure in The Herald.”
Able to speak multiple SA languages, with an unblemished vocal range, J’Something was one of the headline acts at the 2024 Splash Festival.
He was also recently part of a celebrity panel of “detectives” who had to guess who was behind the mask in the SA version of The Masked Singer.
Despite the challenges that the Covid-19 pandemic brought to the arts industry, J’Something turned to his cooking talents to help the less fortunate.
The idea was cooked up with chef David Higgs in June 2021.
“I think that sharing positivity, love and light is such an underrated thing, especially in today’s society with social media.
“To share love and light is a principle of mine.
“During Covid-19 I lost a lot of my sense of purpose because I could not perform.
“I don’t go on stage so that my ego can be stroked, it is so that I can see other people smiling, dancing, and enjoying themselves.
“During the pandemic I started to think of how I could still do this.
“Both David and myself are affiliated with Reach For A Dream, because they help fulfil the dreams of terminally ill children.”
Through their Reach For A Dream’s Cooking For Dreams fundraising initiative by the My Kitchen Rules duo, they managed to break the Guinness World Record for the highest number of people cooking simultaneously online.
“We got thousands of people to join, and we raised up to R1m.”
Now, being given another opportunity to raise funds for charity through his performance at The Herald’s birthday celebrations, was something he relished.
“I love the work that the Siya Kolisi Foundation does, and knowing the impact it has, makes this all the more exciting,” he said.
Exclusive memorabilia will be signed by Kolisi and made available on auction on the evening.
For more information about the event or to book your tickets, contact The Herald’s marketing manager Berna Walters on ulayb@theherald.co.za or visit Quicket on www.bit.ly/Herald180 to book online.
Ticket sales close on Friday April 28.
The Herald
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