Moments 2016 Spectacular – Who is Corlea Botha?
Corlea Botha has worked with some of the world’s most talented artists and has even been described by famous Jazz musician, Hugh Masekela as “nothing short of wonderous.”
She was born on the 16th of August 1987 in Delmas, South Africa, and grew up in Springs, a small town close to Johannesburg. Her talent was discovered when she was just 3 years old, while driving in the car with her parents. She started singing to Don Williams and her father noted how good her pitching was and singing flawless English!! She started vocal training, and had her first concert at the tender age of 5! During the next seven years, she went on to compete in more than 40 Eisteddfods and national singing competitions where she walked away as the winner almost every time.
In 1994 her parents, Koos and Mesadi Botha, enrolled her at Delmas Primary School to complete grades 1 to 5. In her grade 2 year Corlea made her theatre debut in the Italian opera, “LA BOHEMME” in the Pretoria State Theatre. In that same year PACT invited her back to perform the role of the youngest Von Trapp daughter, Gretl, in “The Sound of Music”. Critics raved about her performance and went on to say that even though she performed with theatre heavyweights such as Anne Power,Jarmilla Tellinger, Judy Paige and Mimi Coertse, whenever she came on stage she “stole the show.”
The national singing competition, ‘Reach for the Stars’ in 1996 saw Corlea as the youngest participant in the competition, winning her 5 -8 year category.
In 1997, she released her album, “MY FIRST”, and wowed audiences with her vocal capacity, belting out songs such as Celine Dion’s ‘THINK TWICE’.
In 1998, Corlea was chosen to be part of “FANTASY OF LIGHTS” at the Fountains’ Valley in Pretoria. She performed with selected participants from ‘Reach for the Stars’, and put on a critically acclaimed show.
“FANTASY OF LIGHTS” was such a success that in 1999 it was moved to the Nasrec Expo Centre to accommodate bigger audiences. They performed two shows a day, seven days a week for six weeks! We now had an on-stage singing sensation!!
Primary School. In 1999, the family moved to Springs and they enrolled Corlea at the Jan van Riebeeck Primary School. After just 1 year of attendance, she was chosen as deputy head girl for 2000. The school decided that after almost 15 years of no talent shows it would be wasted opportunity not to do a revue, with Corlea as the star. They wrote a wonderful show of a journey through time – from when the earth was created, up to the final countdown of the millennium – with Corlea as the singing time traveller. The revue was such a success that it was extended for a week of extra shows, and audiences still talk about “the show of the decade, that could make professionals sit up and take notice!”
In 2000 Corlea took part in the “REACH FOR THE STARS NATIONAL SINGING AND INSTRUMENTAL COMPETITION”, where there were more than 7500 other entrants. She did not only win the JAZZ/R’n B and LANGUAGE categories, but walked away as the overall winner with her rendition of Sam Harris’ SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW. She was only twelve at that time! In that same year, she was invited to be an ambassador for South Africa on a cultural outreach to Japan by the non-profit organization Earth Harmony. She went on to be invited back by the Japanese organizers of Earth Harmony for the next two years.
Corlea also released her album, “WONDERKIND VAN DIE MILLENIUM” (Wonder Child of the Millenium), with record company, FANTASIA.
In 2001 Corlea was named as the ”Voices of the New Generation” who took their places on stage with South African greats such as Miriam Makeba, Dolly Rathebe, Thandi Claasen, Abigail Kubeka and Mara Louw at the SURF MIRIAM MAKEBA TRIBUTE TO DOLLY RATHEBE Concerts.
Three years later (2004) Corlea released her long awaited gospel album, “WIE IS ‘N GOD SOOS U” (Who is a God like You).
At the formal evening celebrations of President Mbeki’s Inauguration, Corlea was invited to perform with stars such as Jennifer Jones, Vicky Sampson and Judith Siphuma. She also performed at a number of governmental functions all over the country to celebrate the 10 years of freedom for South Africa.
In 2005 she joined Hugh Masekela’s record company, CHISSA ENTERTAINMENT, with the likes of Zwai Bala, Sibongile Khumalo, and Mr. Masekela himself in the same stable.
An Afro-jazz album, “SHADES OF THE RAINBOW”, was released in 2006, and has Corlea singing in English and five other African languages. Highlights were her big hit TAKE ME TO SOWETO, and her rendition of Yvonne Chaka Chaka’s song, KANA UCHEMA. It featured on hit parades for weeks on several radio stations, and her music video can still regularly be seen on SABC 1 and E-tv. She worked with the grandson of Quincy Jones, Sunny D. Levine from Los Angeles, who came to South Africa to work exclusively on her album with vocal arrangements by Zwai Bala and executive producer, Hugh Masekela.
The same year Corlea performed at the Sun City Meloding Jazz festival with artists like Zama Jobe, Gloria Bosman, Sibongile Khumalo, and International artist, Ann Hampton Callaway who wrote the theme to the sitcom “The Nanny”.
Media 24/City Vision took Corlea on a tour to Soweto, where she performed at the Masakeng Jazz Club
She also performed at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz festival at the Mary Fitzgerald square in Johannesburg, featuring the likes of Jamie Cullum and Jonas Gwangwa. Together with up and coming artists Nokhukanya, Nombulelo, Wanda Baloyi and Thembisile. They performed as the African soul sisters, paying tribute to Letta Mbulu and the late Miriam Makeba.
In 2007, she was invited back to Japan to take part in the first tour of GLOBAL HARMONY INTERNATIONAL (Re-grouped from Earth Harmony). She exceeded expectations in her role as Musical Director, as well as group leader.
Upon her returning from Japan, Corlea was asked to perform at the launch of the new C-Class Mercedes with the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra, The Bala brothers and Freshly Ground. She also performed at the Africa Day celebrations, which was broadcast all over Africa. She performed at the opening night after party of “The Lion King” by Lebo M at Monte Casino South Africa, with special guest, Oprah Winfrey. That same year she performed at the Women’s day celebrations at the Union buildings in Pretoria to a crowd of over 40 000.
In 2008 Corlea wanted to make a new record and approached longtime friend and songwriter Rudi Claase to help her with the repertoire and direction of the new album. They decided to do an album together instead, paying tribute to some of the biggest local and international artists of all time.
The album, Ons Lieflinge/Our Darlings’ was released in 2009, and went gold within two weeks. Up to date, the album has achieved double platinum status and is still going strong. They have broken the record for the longest time on the South African Top Twenty (in the history of South African music), and as if that was not enough, the longest running time on the charts for a debut album!
They recorded and released a second album in 2010, “Ons Lieflinge: Drome/Our Darlings: Dreams” which also achieved double platinum status.
A live DVD was released in October 2010 and sold 10 000 units in its first week and is currently on double platinum status. As a debut act they created quite a stir, performing at the biggest shows in the country (Huisgenoot Skouspel, Skouspel Plus, KKNK, etc), as well as headlining countless festivals and doing as many as 27 shows a month!
In addition hereto, they won the 2010 South African TEMPO Awards for Best Newcomers as well as the award for Best Contemporary Album.
In the same year, they won the prestigious VONK Awards for Newcomer of the Year as well as Group of the Year.
Corlea Botha is one of two special guest artists appearing for one night only, on this years Moments Spectacular and will be performing alongside a host of quality South African artists.
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A heartfelt thank you to all our sponsors !!!
quinton
This woman is one of the most spectacular and inspired singers that I have ever heard on stage since many years ago. Blessed with a unique soul and superb voice made for singing and entertaining !..
She doesn’t just sing,..but you can hear it comes from deep within her soul !..an undying passion is what I think
she has,..incredible !..moving !..shaking, and delicately inspiring !..a special human being in every conceivable word !.. Corlea Botha !..YOU ROCK GIRL !!!..
Naomi
Is there a song that she sings that is called Black Coffee?????…I just know it was beautifull!!
Jennifer Jones Entertainment
I think she sings an Afrikaans song Swart Koffie if I remember correctly?