JILL OF MANY TRADES
Y’AWA studied marketing at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, which came in handy as owner of P’ayeye Entertainment – a live entertainment booking agency, managing the likes of the Gugulethu Tenors. She started Y’awa Creations, now Y’awa International.
Y’awa started a youth scholarship programme, YAWA (Youth Against Woman and Child Abuse) and the Luvuthando Foundation, where she aims to raise funds for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds. She has toured Europe with the Gugulethu Tenors and has performed as a solo artist internationally.
At home she has performed at corporate, charity and private events, and delivered motivational speeches. She also sang the South African and Australian anthems, alongside Justin Burgh, at the international rugby match between the Springboks and Australia in 2006. Another honour was to sing in the Thermocool Nigeria advert,
She has won numerous awards like the Peace Song, and Best Designer at the Fashion Police Fashion Show, and was a finalist in the Miss Cape Town 1996 pageant.
She’s inspired by the likes of Brenda Fassie, Miriam Makeba, Tina Turner and Gill Scott. Prior to releasing her latest, and second album, Y’awa released her solo debut album, at a Cape Quarter Lifestyle event in 2011.
She also released two albums with her previous band, Coda, where she wrote lyrics and co-produced most of the songs. Her last offering is her first single,
an antiabuse-inspired song.