Songbird Judith Sephuma interrupted rehearsals for her new national tour to rally behind women’s rights at the World Economic Forum on Africa 2015.
Known as the first lady of African jazz, Sephuma appeared at the Cape Town International Convention Centre to help launch the Poverty is Sexist campaign on Thursday.
She told the audience: “Women are so strong. If you empower a woman, you empower a continent.”
Sephuma has long been affiliated to U2 frontman Bono’s One advocacy organisation that aims to turn the spotlight on the plight of women, particularly in rural Africa.
“It is about encouraging women to take charge and to do what they want to do. Our girl children must grow up with ‘I can do it’ attitudes,” she told City Press.
Sephuma was in Cape Town this week to rehearse for her One Word national tour that kicked off at the Artscape Theatre last night.
She describes her new album, One Word, as funky Afro-jazz. It was recorded in Cape Town over two weeks in January.
Sephuma’s One Word tour will be at the Meropa Sun Casino in Polokwane on June 20, Bloemfontein’s Pacofs theatre on June 27, Pretoria’s State Theatre on July 18, Durban’s Playhouse on August 1 and the Lyric Theatre in Joburg on October 3. – Biénne Huisman