LIFESTYLE - The African Mirror

Apr

11

2025

By CLAIRE ISABELLA GILMOUR https://theconversation.com/profiles/claire-isabella-gilmour-1345375 PhD Candidate, Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Bristol

Tutankhamun: plain-looking mud trays in pharaoh’s tomb have been key part of complex afterlife rituals

LIFESTYLE

MORE than 100 years after the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings, new interpretations of the burial are still emerging. A recent article published in the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology proposes that a set of seemingly plain, functional objects are in fact a key part of the complex rituals which would ensure the transformation and regeneration of the young king in the afterlife. Tutankhamun inherited a throne tainted by the shifts in religious and political practices implemented by his father, Akhenaten. His reign had been hallmarked by the move from the capital city of…

Apr

11

2025

By The African Mirror

Keyshia Cole live in SA this month

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE highly anticipated Keyshia Cole: Live in South Africa tour taking place later this month is almost upon us. The show organisers revealed the incredible local talent set to share the stage with the Grammy-nominated superstar. Keyshia Cole, known for her powerhouse vocals and soul-stirring performances, has etched her name in music history with chart-topping hits like 'Love', 'Heaven Sent' and 'Let It Go'. Her magnetic stage presence and raw, emotional lyrics have earned her a devoted fanbase worldwide – and South Africa is no exception. Get ready for an electrifying experience! Joining the upcoming tour is none other than…

Apr

09

2025

By LUCY DURÁN

Amadou Bagayoko: the blind Malian musician whose joyful songs changed west African music

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AMADOU Bagayoko (1954-2025), iconic Malian guitarist, singer and composer of the famed duo Amadou & Mariam – known as “the blind couple of Mali” – passed away on 4 April in Bamako. He was 70. The married singers, who met when she was 18 and he 21, took traditional Mali music and blended it with Western rock and many other influences to shape a whole new sound that was both rich and playful. They would sell millions of albums for hits like Sunday in Bamako and Sabali. They would tour the world, opening the 2006 men’s Football World Cup, closing…

Apr

05

2025

By IRVIN KINNES

Inside an urban terror network: book reveals how police finally cracked Pagad gang violence in Cape Town

LITERATURE

A campaign against gangsterism in Cape Town, South Africa led by the People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad) turned violent in the mid-1990s when a group known as Pagad G-Force began what became known as an urban terrorism campaign. Lives on the Line, written by security analyst David Africa, is the true story of the secret team in the country’s crime intelligence division that waged a six-year battle against the terror group – and won. The terror campaign was brought to a standstill in 2002. Criminology professor Irvin Kinnes sets out why it’s a riveting read, a bold tell-all account…

Apr

04

2025

By JYHENE KEBSI

Tunisia’s rap revolution: 5 women who are redefining hip-hop

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

WOMEN rappers were not really a feature of Tunisia’s typically masculine and chauvinist hip-hop scene until the revolution that overthrew Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011. Now there are several politically conscious female voices rising in the rap scene. Gender studies scholar Jyhene Kebsi has published a research paper on how their lyrics highlight the multiple inequalities that women in Tunisia – and the world – must overcome. How have male Tunisian rappers generally treated women in their songs and videos? The gender politics of Tunisian men’s rap is complex, but we can talk about one of its tendencies. Although…

Mar

26

2025

By SETH ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Recorded music revenue in Africa swells more than 22% on strong digital demand

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

MUSIC revenue across Africa surged over 22% in 2024, surpassing the $100 million threshold, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). Earnings were fuelled by subscription streaming, making Africa one of the fastest-growing music markets globally. The report's Africa figures exclude North Africa, the addition of which would have boosted the continent’s reported total revenues well beyond the US$110 million highlighted in the IFPI's Global Music Report 2025. Global Music Report 2025 numbers show Africa’s revenue growth considerably outpaced the global average of 4.8%. Streaming accounted for most of the continent's revenue growth as mobile internet penetration…

Mar

24

2025

By TINASHE MUSHAKAVANHU

African safaris and colonial nightmares: a visit to artist Roger Ballen’s latest show

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

BORN in the US, Roger Ballen, the internationally renowned photographer, has lived in South Africa since the 1970s. He gained a cult following for his grotesque, surreal images of white poverty, captured on the rural fringes during apartheid. His work exposed not only the exploitation and marginalisation of his subjects but also the reality of apartheid’s failure to uplift even its privileged white minority. Over time, Ballen’s practice has expanded beyond photography into a hybrid realm of exhibition, installation and performance. His new Johannesburg space, the Inside Out Centre for the Arts, serves as a theatre for this experimentation. The…

Mar

22

2025

By The African Mirror

MultiChoice integrates podcast content into TV programming, reversing viewership decline

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

MULTICHOICESA has launched a strategic initiative to incorporate popular South African podcasts into its television programming, successfully attracting younger viewers and reversing subscription cancellations. The media company identified an 18% decline in viewership among the under-35 demographic, prompting an innovation to bring established digital voices to traditional television platforms. The initiative features prominent South African podcast creators including MacG's "Podcast and Chill" and several others who have built substantial digital followings without traditional media infrastructure. Industry reaction was initially mixed. Some veterans dismissed it as desperate, while digital content creators debated whether joining television would compromise their independence.." MultiChoice adapted…

Mar

22

2025

By XOLISA GUZULA and ATHAMBILE MASOLA

What is apartheid? New book for young readers explains South Africa’s racist system

LITERATURE

A new book, Together Apart: The Story of Living in Apartheid, has just been published in South Africa. Intended for young people but speaking to readers of all ages, the book explores what it was like living through this dark and racist period of segregation. It’s laden with graphics, illustrations and comic book-styled information. We asked its authors – literacies scholar Xolisa Guzula and historian Athambile Masola – more about their project. What is apartheid and how did it fit into the country’s history? Apartheid (an Afrikaans word which means “setting apart”) was a set of laws introduced by a…

Mar

21

2025

By JESSICA FALCONI

Mozambique’s long struggle to build a nation – four novels that tell the story

LITERATURE

MOZAMBIQUE’S long history of nation-building is still unfinished. The country is still pursuing a cohesive national identity, stable institutions, and economic foundations that would unify diverse groups. This is crucial to foster harmony and political stability. Nation-building in Mozambique dates back to the last decades of Portuguese colonial rule, in the 1960s. At this time, it was mainly driven by resistance movements and anti-colonial struggles. As nationalist groups emerged, they aimed to unify diverse ethnic groups and overthrow colonial powers. A sense of shared identity was fostered through the fight for independence. But after independence in 1975, new challenges to…