Motsatsing (She of the Sun) is a Johannesburg based singer, songwriter, dj and voice over artist. This infectious performer was born in Soweto in 1984 and raised in Spruitview, Ekurhuleni. Her first taste of music performance came when she was living in Pimville, Soweto, when she joined the band ‘Scrapyard’, lacing their kwaito/hip hop tracks with her soulful voice.
But it was with her 5-year run as the lead vocalist in the alternative Indie band - Uju - where she started finding her voice and making her presence felt in the Joburg music scene. She thrived from the intoxicating high energy performances that were synonymous with UJU. Some of her defining moments in the band were when they featured as curtain raisers for some big acts like Patti Labelle in Swaziland, The Afro Cuban All Stars at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, percussionist Tlale Makhene, Thandiswa Mazwai, Judith Siphuma, The Parlotones, Prime Circle, The Mahotella Queens, Kabelo (Bougaluv) and a few others. In 2009 she left Uju, following the release of first signed album “Free” in which she helped to pen some of the songs.
During this hiatus, she spent her time and energy focusing on building her growing family and paving her new musical path as a solo artist. Ever the perfectionist, she continued to fine tune her voice, training as a contemporary singer at the Shine Music School. In 2012 she decided to further her music studies and hone her craft, at the Johannesburg Central College, where she studied Jazz, majoring in Guitar. This is where she met the musicians she works with, and as a collective they are known as ‘The Rays’, forming the band, Motsatsing and The Rays.
Motsatsing’s compositions are a fusion of traditional South African sounds and contemporary arrangements. She says of her music and live performances, that they are “a pulsating celebration of Africa”. The band takes you through a journey, while addressing global issues such as abuse, homophobia, xenophobia and social injustices.