Come to Joburg if you wanna mingle with some stylish creatives where you can meet your favourite musicians, DJs and powerhouse individuals who are building a creative space to support your next big stars. One of these community-building platforms is the Feel Good Series – founded by Nandi Dlepu with the purpose of sharing “tomorrow’s music today”.
This April’s event kicked off with South African rapper, singer & songwriter, Ricky Tyler. Hosted by Nandi Dlepu herself, in collaboration with Tunecore: Africa, a digital music distribution and publishing platform – we were taken on Ricky’s personal and musical journey.
Set at Flame Studios, Constitution Hill – fans and friends came out to this intimate gathering to vibe with Ricky. Guests were welcomed with complimentary rum cocktails and food. More exciting is Ricky Tyler showing up and personally welcoming each guest to his listening session, which was a warm gesture.
DJ Half n Half on the decks hit it off with some of Ricky Tyler’s older tracks. Deja Vu was a great way to start the show, since it’s one of my favorite Ricky tracks. Several new songs made their debut on his performances, which we can expect to hear on Ricky’s anticipated sophomore album.
The new songs Ricky performed included:
- Nina – When the going gets tough, it’s always good to have a friend by your side. This song is about a friend Ricky met in the United States, who encouraged him to keep going and reminded him why he started this journey.
- Another Episode – this is a bit of a twist with Ricky’s music style and he says he wishes to get a Nigerian artist for a feature. I already have a few names that would fit perfectly.
- Rolling Stone – Ricky and his team were torn between naming the track Freedom or Rolling Stone. But let’s admit it, Rolling Stone is better.
- Hold on – This is Ricky’s first pop song. It’s about his niece, who has gone through a tough time.
In this interview, we learn a bit more about Ricky and how he has developed a special bond with his fans. During Cotton Fest, his interaction with his fans and inclusion of them was apparent. Though we are his biggest supporters, his mother will always be his biggest fan.
Artists are known to express their grief through their music. Ricky has shared that although he will eventually write a song to commemorate his mother’s memory, he admitted to not being ready. And, of course, the emotions are still difficult to deal with.
If you missed the first Ricky Feel Good Series, there will be a 2nd episode. Catch the live performance today from 12:00 – 21:00 at Victoria Yards, 16 Viljoen Street, Lorentzville – 30 April 2022.
Follow Ricky on Twitter and Instagram and stay updated about his next performances and album drop.
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