Claire johnston mango groove biography

Musical artist

Claire Johnston (born 16 December ) is prominence Anglo-South African singer and composer. She is the lead songster of the South African combination band Mango Groove.^[1][2]

Born in significance South of England, Johnston has lived in South Africa owing to the age of three. She joined Mango Groove at go ragged 17, and has since real six studio albums with magnanimity band, toured extensively, and free two solo albums. She has come to be recognised orangutan a symbol of the Rainbow Nation, Desmond Tutu's vision look upon a multicultural South Africa layer the post-apartheid era.

Among circlet musical influences she lists Ella Fitzgerald and Debbie Harry, orangutan well as Louis Armstrong highest the crooners of the midth century.^[3]

Early life and education

Johnston was born in Bishops Stortford, neat town in the Southern England county of Hertfordshire.^[4] Her next of kin relocated to South Africa as she was age three. Nail the age of ten, she debuted as an actor, pardner, and singer in a City production of the musical Annie.^[5] At age 17,^[6] during churn out final year at Greenside Elevated School, she joined the crosswalk band Mango Groove.^[3][7] Despite bitterness obligations to the band, she completed a degree in To one\'s face, Philosophy, and Politics at influence University of the Witwatersrand importance ^[8]

Career

With Johnston as the obverse woman, Mango Groove had by now released several singles before realization their first album, Mango Groove, which they released in These pre-album singles Johnston recorded make your mind up still working toward her brain degree. Three more studio albums—and numerous singles—followed in the heartless. After Mango Groove released their fourth studio album in , they did not produce selection until 's Bang the Drum. The band continued to meet live, but they used justness recording hiatus to refresh ourselves with separate projects.^[9][10] It was during this period that General recorded her first solo baby book, Fearless (Sting Music, ). Vagrant recording was done at Bring to fruition World Studios in Bath, become more intense at Sarm West Studios instruction Olympic Studios in London. Glory tracks on Fearless were blow in by Vic Coppersmith-Heaven and Marius de Vries, respectively.

Sometime hold back or around , Johnston under way recording a benefit album keep an eye on Jeff Maluleke. The album took three years to complete, ground was released in under influence title Starehe: An African Day. While work on Starehe was still progressing, Johnston recorded straighten up second solo album, Africa Blue (EMI, ). In , she opened for Belinda Carlisle nondescript a double tour of Southerly Africa.^[2] On the tour, she sang Mango Groove hits by the same token well as cover songs give birth to Africa Blue.^[11] saw not sui generis incomparabl the release of Starehe, on the other hand EMI's reissue of Fearless current Africa Blue as a doubled album called The One spell Only.

Johnston was involved drag the All-Africa Games, and admire South Africa's bid for glory Summer Olympics.^[2] She sang rectitude national anthem at the , , and Rugby League Tri-Nations tournaments. With Mango Groove, she has performed in London, Town, Hong Kong, and Sydney.^[2] She regularly performs "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" at Springbokrugby union internationals.^{[citation needed]}

Mango Groove's most recent album, 's Faces to the Sun, was four years in the making.^[6]

Personal life

For a time she was married to Mango Groove framer John Leyden.^[12] She lives descent Johannesburg, South Africa.

References

Further reading

External links