A brief LOOK AT SA SINGER "LIRA"

Lira was born Lerato Molapo in the Daveyton township in
Johannesburg's East Rand. Her name translates to "love" in
Sesotho and she speaks four languages. She is a
multi-platinum selling and a 11x South African Music Award-winning
Afro-Soul vocalist who refers to her music as "a fusion of soul, funk,
elements of jazz and African.

Her world was shaped by the harsh realities of South Africa's
formerly racial and socioeconomic apartheid. She grew up listening
to Miriam Makeba, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Nina Simone who
 would eventually inspire her own songwriting. She began performing
live at the age of 16, singing both cover versions and self-penned songs.

As an undergraduate student, Lira studied Accounting and
used her skills to exchange for recording time at a local
studio, resulting in her first demo at the age of 18. Upon graduation,
Lira continued in accounting for two years. With ambitions to be
a singer she turned in her letter of resignation and created a
five-year plan for her music career.

In 2000 she was discovered by musician/producer Arthur Mafokate,
who signed her to his record label, 999 Music, and helped with the
release of her debut album, All My Love (2003). The album earned her
accolades at the Metro FM Awards, South African Music Awards and Channel O
Reel Music Awards. The title track even knocked Beyoncé's single
"Dangerously in Love" off the charts.The following year, she left
999 Music and teamed up with keyboardist Victor Mngomezulu, bassist
Tshepo Sekele, and producer Robin Kohl, subsequently she was signed to
Sony Music Africa and released her first major label album Feel Good (2006).
A huge success, it led to multiple nominations and wins at the South African
Music Awards (SAMA). In July 2007 the album was released in Italy, where
its title track gained massive airplay.

In summer 2010, she joined a line up of artists that included Alicia Keys,
Shakira, K'Naan and John Legend, at the FIFA World Cup Kick-Off Concert
performing a rendition of "Pata Pata," a hit song originally recorded by
the late Miriam Makeba. Later that summer, she was selected to take part
in the 92nd birthday celebration of former South African president Nelson Mandela.
 Telecast live in 3D directly to Mandela, her performance
of the popular Labi Siffre anti-apartheid tune and Mandela favourite
"(Something Inside) So Strong" with the Soweto Spiritual Singers proved to be
one of the most prominent performances in her career.

Lira made her cinematic debut as the support lead in the Antonio Falduto
directed drama, The Italian Consul (Il console italiano). In June 2011,
the film premiered at the Taormina Film Festival in Italy where Lira became
only the second African vocalist to grace the Teatro Del Greco stage since
Miriam Makeba. The singer stars opposite Italian actress Giuliana de Sio – as
well as Edwin Angless and Anna Galiena, while the film centres around the
trafficking of girls in Europe

in her music career Lira has won and collected a number of awards,shes an amazing
singer most of all am inspired by her love for African fashion.Would like to
advice my fellow artist to stay focused always remember to do what you love the most.