Shannon Hope concert at the Fugard Theatre

Award-winning female pianist and vocal artist returns to perform once more in her dream space on 18 and 19 April in Cape Town.

Anyone who’s never heard Shannon Hope’s music would write her off as a punk rocker in T minus two seconds. With black-tipped fingernails and a shaved section peeking out above her left ear, she certainly looks the part; but as journalist Kgomotso Moncho so succinctly said, “What you see when you look at her is rock ‘n roll, but what you hear when she plays is heart and soul.”

Hope and her trusty piano graced the stage of the Fugard Theatre once in the past, but she now returns to her dream space, as she calls it, to treat audience members to an ensemble performance that will also serve as substance for a live DVD recording.

For those still floundering to put a song to a face, Hope is relatively new to the South African music scene, she only released her debut solo album in 2009, but she’s pulled in a passionate following fast.  In less than six months after releasing the album her songs were playing on national radio stations, she set-off on a national promotional tour and she performed at some of the country’s most esteemed venues, alongside a number of revered artists.

Those who have had the pleasure of listening to her powerful songs – her music is undeniably heart-wrenching, sincere and deeply personal – have painted a picture that places the artist on a dark stage, with a single spotlight; her music delivering the kind of drama and emotion that needs no extra ornamentation.

The singer-songwriter won the 2011 Standard Bank Ovation Award, and her previous performance at the Fugard earned her much critical acclaim; this year’s Cape Town concerts are certainly not to be missed.