Lira { in concert}

Music is often the first portal into a new country for me. It’s how I first learned English. {Thanks to Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston who articulated well in the 1990s}

I would like to get to Africa, Nigeria and South Africa in particular, sometime in the future. But until then there is music. I love the transporting power of music. I love that last week I had the pleasure of being in a South African audience right here in DC. We DC-ists are lucky to have the Kennedy Center! Apart from the classic line up of shows (music, theatre) the Center provides free concerts on its Millennium Stage every day, 364 days a year.

Lira, sometimes called South Africa’s Queen of Soul, graced the stage in what looks like a Stoned Cherrie design. Lira has a grizzly voice that pairs well with jazz and the sensibility of a younger Sade. She paused after each song and talked about herself, her career and her beliefs extolling the value of self-empowerment. She’s a hard-working musician who dispenses Oprah-esque wisdom down her Twitter feed.

Lira has done remarkably well in her native country with a few platinum albums in her track. She is taking on the world with her fourth album, Return to Love. She has been touring Europe and will return stateside in February for more concerts.

She’s such a fresh burst of optimism and energy. Watch Lira kick up her heels in this video!