Amanda Black facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amanda Black
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| Birth name | Amanda Benedicta Antony |
| Born | 24 July 1993 Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa |
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| Years active | 2015–present |
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Amanda Benedicta Antony (born on July 24, 1993), known as Amanda Black, is a talented singer and songwriter from South Africa. She was born and grew up in Gcuwa. Her music journey started early, at age six, when she sang in church choirs. Amanda became well-known after appearing on Idols South Africa season 11.
In 2016, Amanda moved to Johannesburg to focus on her music career. She signed a deal with Ambitiouz Entertainment that same year. She quickly gained fame with her hit song "Amazulu". This song was nominated for many music awards. Her first album, also called Amazulu (released in 2016), was very successful. It won awards like "Album of the Year" and "Best Newcomer of the Year". By 2019, she was the most-streamed artist on Apple Music. Her third album, Mnyama, came out in 2021.
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Early Life and Education
Amanda Benedicta Antony is from the Xhosa community. She was born on July 24, 1993, in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, South Africa. She spent most of her childhood in Butterworth, Eastern Cape. She also lived in East London. Later, she moved to Port Elizabeth. There, she finished high school at Kabega Christian School. After that, she went to Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University to study Music Education.
Music Career Highlights
Amanda started singing in church and at school when she was very young. By age 12, she began joining talent shows. These shows helped her get used to performing on stage.
Starting Out and Amazulu Album (2015–2018)
Amanda tried out for Idols South Africa three times. She became a fan favorite in Season 11, making it to the top 7 contestants. To follow her dream in music, she moved to Johannesburg in January 2016. There, Ambitiouz Entertainment offered her a music contract.
On July 1, 2016, she released her first official song, "Amazulu". This song was part of her first album, also named Amazulu. The music video for "Amazulu" received over 4 million views on YouTube. Her debut album Amazulu was released on November 11, 2016. It was a big success and received great reviews. In less than a month, the album sold over 31,000 copies. This led the Recording Industry of South Africa to certify it as platinum. The album also earned her many nominations for awards. These included five nominations at the 16th Metro FM Music Awards. She also received nominations at the 2017 South African Music Awards. She was even nominated for Viewers Choice: Best International Act at the 2017 BET Awards.
On July 20, 2018, she released another song called "Kahle". This song also gained more than a million views on YouTube.
Growing Success and Power Album (2019–2020)
In December 2018, the famous musician Anthony Hamilton announced he was working on music with Amanda Black. On January 30, 2019, Amanda shared exciting news. She had signed with Sony Music Entertainment. Soon after, she released her single "Thandwa Ndim". This was her first new song in two years. The song was first played on Metro FM's Fresh Breakfast Show. It quickly reached No. 1 on the local iTunes charts on the day it was released.
In 2020, Amanda also worked with Berita on the song "Siyathandana". This song was from Berita's album Songs in the Key of Love. Amanda's album Power won the Best Album of the Year award at the South African Afro Music Awards (Saafma).
New Albums: Mnyama and From My Soil To Yours (2021–Present)
On June 4, 2021, Amanda released "Kutheni Na". This song featured Kwesta and was the second single from her album Mnyama. On July 2, 2021, her third single "Let It Go" was released. Her third studio album, Mnyama, officially came out on August 6, 2021.
Her fourth studio album, From My Soil To Yours, was released on November 17, 2023. Many talented producers worked on this album. These included Christer Kobedi and Vaughan Fourie, who she has worked with for a long time. Other producers were Fundile Dlamini, Thato Modika Andziso Ngobeni, and Batundi Muisha. The album features different music styles like R&B, Afro-pop, and soul. It included two singles: "Nguwe" and "Love is for Mahala".
Her Unique Artistry
Musical Style
Amanda Black started singing at a young age in church. She loved singing along to her favorite artists. These included Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, Brandy Norwood, and Brenda Fassie. Amanda sings in both Xhosa and English. In an interview, she described her music as Afro-soul. She mixes it with hip-hop and a bit of soul and R&B.
In May 2017, Amanda appeared on the SuperSport TV show Homeground. This was a few months after her Amazulu album came out. Her music producer, Christer Kobedi, was also there. He shared that the Amazulu album was created and finished in just over one month. Amanda also said that the album's title song, "Amazulu", was the very first song she ever wrote in her home language, Xhosa.
Facial Art
Amanda Black often paints her face with Stipples of Xhosa face art. This is a way for her to show how proud she is of her heritage. She explained that Xhosa facial art, called umchokozo, represents the Xhosa people. Women mostly create different patterns. When she was growing up, these designs were usually for special events. However, in some rural parts of the Eastern Cape, umchokozo is an everyday practice.
The Xhosa facial art Amanda wears has become part of her brand. But it started as a way for her to express herself and embrace who she is. For her, it means taking back her culture as a Xhosa woman. It also helps her feel beautiful while doing it. It is about living in a way that shows her understanding of her culture. It is a way to represent her roots and where she comes from.
Growing up, Amanda did not like her dark skin. She felt that TV often celebrated lighter skin. This made her feel like she was not good enough because of her skin color. She then started learning about her Xhosa roots, history, and origins. This learning helped her understand herself better. It also helped her to love herself as an African woman. This understanding also influenced her decision to start painting her face with tribal art. It also shaped the way she writes, the music she creates, and the stories she tells through her songs. Amanda began to truly accept herself after reading about Steve Biko’s Black Consciousness ideas.
Discography
- Amazulu (2016)
- Power (2019)
- Mnyama (2021)
- From My Soil To Yours (2023)
