Amanda Black on reclaiming her power

10 November 2019 4:12 PM

Three years after releasing her critically acclaimed debut record Amazulu, 26-year-old star Amanda Black has dropped her second album Power.

At the beginning of the year, she announced her new label Afro Rockstar and a partnership with Sony Music.

Amanda Black performs at Bassline, Newtown, Johannesburg in tribute to the late Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. Picture: Louise McAuliffe/EWN

On Weekend Breakfast, Refiloe Mpakanyane catches up with the award-winner singer/songwriter who hails from the Eastern Cape.

Black says she's always dreamed big, but never imagined fame would come so quickly.

Literally throughout primary school, throughout high school it was my mantra: I'm going to be a famous singer.
— Amanda Black, Singer

I knew I wanted it, I knew one day I'm going to get it, I just didn't know how big, or how soon it would happen.
— Amanda Black, Singer

Black's first album Amazulu went platinum three weeks after its release, earning her three South African Music Awards.

It was accompanied by a dark period in her life though, when she parted ways with record label Ambitiouz.

I went through a two-year darkness, it was just pain and dark the whole time, fighting myself, doubting myself.
— Amanda Black, Singer

The most difficult part was the me-against-me struggle.
— Amanda Black, Singer

Three years later, this is summed up in the intro to her new album - a spoken word piece by her friend Kush Maleka, which uses the symbolism of a phoenix rising.

That's what I felt. That's what power's about - it's me standing up for myself, it's me understanding my power and standing in it.
— Amanda Black, Singer

For more insight into Black's metamorphosis and music, take a listen:

Written by: Paula Luckhoff