When she abruptly parted ways with her former record label, Port Elizabeth singer and songwriter Amanda Black, 25, went through an emotional rollercoaster clouded by legal battles and a period of depression.
Almost two years later, the Amazulu star has risen against the odds and lives to tell her story through her second album, Power, set to be released on Friday.
Black held an intimate listening session of the album at the Boardwalk’s VIP Lounge on Tuesday evening.
“It only felt fitting that I have my first listening session at home where I know I am loved and have always been supported from the days when I played my guitar on local TV.
“I could only thank my people this way and I hope they appreciate it as much as I appreciate seeing them here,” she said.
At the session, the star opened up by saying most of the songs in her 18-track album were her way of sharing the emotional turmoil she experienced during and after her relationship with Ambitiouz Entertainment ended in 2018.
She was one of a several artists whose departures from the label were surrounded by controversy and reports of mismanagement and disagreements.
The star left after the 2017 dramatic exit of Fifi Cooper, A-Reece and B3nchmarq.
Soon after her departure, the singer was entangled in a court battle with the label.
One of the songs inspired by her ordeal is Mmangwane, where she sings about the period she had to gather strength to get on her feet and fight for herself.
“I basically started facing my fears and being brave because for a very long time I was afraid of making the wrong move [because] when dealing with [record] labels and powerful people in the industry, you’re always afraid that they are going to close those doors.
“But I got to a point where I had to stop being afraid and fight for music, for me and everything that I had worked for,” she said.
The singer said it took a lot of strength for her to regain the confidence to make music.
After leaving Ambitiouz Entertainment in 2018, the singer announced the establishment of her own record label, Afro Rockstar, and a publishing partnership with Sony Music.
Amanda Black takes back the ‘Power’
Image: Zamandulo Malonde
When she abruptly parted ways with her former record label, Port Elizabeth singer and songwriter Amanda Black, 25, went through an emotional rollercoaster clouded by legal battles and a period of depression.
Almost two years later, the Amazulu star has risen against the odds and lives to tell her story through her second album, Power, set to be released on Friday.
Black held an intimate listening session of the album at the Boardwalk’s VIP Lounge on Tuesday evening.
“It only felt fitting that I have my first listening session at home where I know I am loved and have always been supported from the days when I played my guitar on local TV.
“I could only thank my people this way and I hope they appreciate it as much as I appreciate seeing them here,” she said.
At the session, the star opened up by saying most of the songs in her 18-track album were her way of sharing the emotional turmoil she experienced during and after her relationship with Ambitiouz Entertainment ended in 2018.
She was one of a several artists whose departures from the label were surrounded by controversy and reports of mismanagement and disagreements.
The star left after the 2017 dramatic exit of Fifi Cooper, A-Reece and B3nchmarq.
Soon after her departure, the singer was entangled in a court battle with the label.
One of the songs inspired by her ordeal is Mmangwane, where she sings about the period she had to gather strength to get on her feet and fight for herself.
“I basically started facing my fears and being brave because for a very long time I was afraid of making the wrong move [because] when dealing with [record] labels and powerful people in the industry, you’re always afraid that they are going to close those doors.
“But I got to a point where I had to stop being afraid and fight for music, for me and everything that I had worked for,” she said.
The singer said it took a lot of strength for her to regain the confidence to make music.
After leaving Ambitiouz Entertainment in 2018, the singer announced the establishment of her own record label, Afro Rockstar, and a publishing partnership with Sony Music.
She released Thandwa Ndim, the first single off Power earlier in 2019 under her new label.
While the song is popularly known to be an ode to women struggling to leave abusive relationships, the singer said it also resonated with her financially abusive relationship with her former record label.
“I wrote this song from the perspective of a woman who is in this abusive situation but is struggling to leave but it’s not only about romantic relationships — friendships can be abusive, family can be abusive, work relationships can be abusive.
“When I wrote this song I thought it was about somebody else’s experience, but now when I look back I realise that I actually also went through a financially abusive relationship with my former label,” she said.
Everything about her album was intentional, especially the title, she said.
The album is titled after the last track of the album.
“You’ll notice that almost all these songs have something to do with what I went through, which I would call one of the most traumatic experiences I’ve ever been through.
“It wasn’t the first and it won’t be the last, but I am stronger for it and that’s why I made Power — I was taking back what was taken from me and this album is me letting go and I hope it does the same for everyone else.”
Telling her story has left her liberated and in a better mental and emotional state, she said.
“I am genuinely happy and lighter than I have been in a very long time and while I’m not where I need to be emotionally and psychologically in terms of healing, there is so much power in being able to express yourself honestly.
“That’s why I needed to make this album so I can turn that page of my life and move forward.”
Power is available for pre-order on digital music stores and will officially be released on October 25.
In the album, the star features PE homegirl Ami Faku, US singer Anthony Hamilton, former NMU student poet Kush Mahleka, Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold and the Soweto Gospel Choir.
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