After nearly a decade of doing backing vocals for top local and international artists, Zeldene McDonald Schuller is finally stepping into the spotlight.
The Belhar songstress is hosting her first show, Black Is Beautiful, at Utopia in Ottery on Saturday and it’s promising to be a spectacular affair with guest artists Seve Music Kid, Envic Booysen and Haus of Forbes.
Mense will know Zeldene as the feisty petite woman with a huge voice who has shared the stage with international artists such as Tevin Campbell, Robin S, Sybil, Peaches and Herb, as well local stars Salome, Loukmaan Adams, Emo Adams, Karin Kortje, Goodluck and more.
Zeldene, 34, tells the Daily Voice that she had a small intimate show in mind, but was encouraged to go bigger.
“I asked my friend, Robin Pieters, if I could do an online acoustic show at his house, but he suggested a day later that we rather get a live audience and bigger venue to do a full-on show,” she says.
“I was overwhelmed, I’ve never performed my own show before and neither to a live audience. What did I have to offer?”
Zeldene says she searched deep inside herself and realised her worth was more than she thought, and this birthed the title, Black is Beautiful.
“Many may think this is a skin colour issue, but it’s a case of me doubting the person I saw in the mirror,” she reveals.
“I looked down on myself after life’s rollercoaster journey where I didn’t see the light of day in my darkest hour.
“So after the support of friends and family in this lockdown, I was reminded that I am beautiful and I can steer my own boat and that’s where my title came from – chin up, you are a strong, black beautiful woman.
“After doing backing vocals for several artists during the lockdown, I came home one day and I sat and thought long and hard about it.
“I wanted to do something for myself, something I can look back on and be proud of.”
Zeldene will be performing covers of favourite hits as well as some of her own original music.
Catch her at Utopia on Saturday at 6pm.
To obtain tickets, at R125, contact Marcia on 082 829 2242.