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A small and exclusive gathering was held at World of Yamaha in Sandton on Wednesday to celebrate the release of musician Anatii’s highly anticipated album.
He has enjoyed success with his collaborations and features with artists including DJ Dimplez, Riky Rick and Cassper Nyovest, all of whom came out to show Anatii some love.
The event had all the essentials for a swaggy north Jozi event. If you are wondering what these may include, well, it’s simple: you will need stylishly dressed models such as K-Naomi and Babalwa Mneno in attendance; secure a Yamaha showroom floor as your entrance area, complete with speed boats, grand pianos and motorcycles as décor; have an abundance of champagne; and get Da L.E.S – the North God himself – and Danny K as your hosts, and you’re all set.
Danny K played us a prerecorded interview with Anatii in which he talked about his album title, Artiifact. Anatii explained that “it would be viewed beyond being just a play on the word ‘art’”, but also as a hidden phrase that can be read as “art to fact”.
“Everything in my songs has happened in my own life.”
He also mentioned that he was fortunate enough to have worked with international acts who genuinely “feel” his music.
“I got Grammy Award-winning artists singing in isiXhosa and asking me how to pronounce the words,” he said.
He coyly didn’t mention who the big-name artists might be.
And then it was time for him to give us a taste of what to expect, and his set offered some of what he has become known for with tracks like Feeling On Me and the club banger My Own – a track DJ Milkshake must be glad he featured this urban crooner on.
The small room of people could hardly contain themselves when he performed the street anthem Jump, in which he appears alongside rappers Cassper Nyovest and new sensation Nasty C.
His album is ready and boasts an experimental sound that was unexpected but interesting to experience.
Hours is the latest single and he most certainly had the ladies in mind when working on this track.
Overdrive, the second single, is really hot, and is a hip-swaying, Afro-pop joint that sounds like a fusion of subtle hip-hop elements.
If the launch was anything to go by, this album will be a goodie.
Some of the celebrities at the Anatii album launch. Pictures: Lucky Nxumalo
