Latest news with #Thato
The Citizen
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Ster-Kinekor welcomes Rampedi Media Network as it tries to ‘repurpose' its cinema space
Ster-Kinekor did something similar when they collaborated with MacG's Podcast and Chill for an interview with Black Coffee. Ster-Kinekor will host The Rampedi Media Network at its cinema in Rosebank on Thursday. Picture: thatorampedi/Instagram In another bid to keep the lights on, Ster-Kinekor has teamed up with Rampedi Media Network to show its podcasts on the big screen. 'Looking at ways to repurpose our cinema space for events other than showing top-rated films is very much on our radar,' said Ster-Kinekor's chief marketing officer, Lynne Wylie. The collaboration between Ster-Kinekor and Rampedi Media Network will see podcasts from the network being shot live at the cinema in front of a live audience. 'We are very excited about this upcoming collaboration opportunity with House of Rampedi to host an interactive podcast recording with a live audience at one of our premier cinema complexes,' Wylie said. Rampedi Media Network's podcasts, such as Seated with Lebo and Thato, and Thought Digest, will be recorded live. ALSO READ: Streaming killed the movie star? List of Ster-Kinekor cinemas set to close Ster-Kinekor's challenges Wylie said Ster-Kinekor plans to host similar activities in the coming months. In 2023, it did something similar when it collaborated with MacG's Podcast and Chill, screening a tell-all episode where Black Coffee was a guest. Its cinema in Mall of Africa was sold out within hours of the announcement. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Ster-Kinekor has experimented with a variety of ideas to repurpose its venues, in a bid to keep the lights on. Due to financial pressures arising from the pandemic, in 2021 Ster-Kinekor commenced its business rescue. The cinema exited the business rescue more than a year after that, in November 2022. Last year, the movie outlet announced that it would lay off 236 employees and close up to nine of its cinemas in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. ALSO READ: Ster-Kinekor announces 'Throwback Cinema' featuring classic films from 1994 [VIDEO] Rampedi Media Network's growth In contrast, the Rampedi Media Network has consistently shown growth over the years, expanding its audience. In 2024, its founder and owner, Thato Rampedi, decided to step away from the limelight and focus on expanding his brand through the creation of additional shows. He put his weekly vlogs on hold for a year. 'I feel like it's like being a soccer player, it will only last for so long,' Rampedi said about being the sole content creator in front of the camera. 'So I decided to move behind the scenes and start this Rampedi Media Network. We decided to basically sign talent and start new podcasts,' he said in late 2024. He said the network's ensemble on one of his shows, AsMajita which feature Percy ASF, Gontse, Lebo, and himself, has become a testament to the power of creative collaboration. 'As a collective, we consistently push boundaries in digital content creation, bringing fresh perspectives and authentic storytelling to our audience. The network's success in brand collaborations with industry leaders,' Rampedi said. Rampedi Media Network's live recording will be hosted at Ster-Kinekor's Rosebank venue, The Zone, on Thursday. NOW READ: Ster-Kinekor restructures: Big screen e-gaming on the cards
TimesLIVE
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
Singer Thato Hashatsi announces temporary hiatus due to Illness
Singer Thato Hashatsi has announced she will take a temporary break from performing due to an illness that has left her without her voice. The singer was set to perform at several events, including Redbull Symphonic, Market@theSheds, and Drama Hatfield PTA, all scheduled for June 7 2025, but had to cancel her appearances. In a statement shared on her timeline, Thato assured her fans she is committed to rescheduling or working with the promoters to find a suitable alternative once she has recovered. 'I Thatohatsi regret to inform you that due to an unexpected illness, I have temporarily lost my voice and was unable to perform at the Redbull Symphonic, Market@theSheds and Drama Hatfield PTA scheduled for June 7. . 'I sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause to the event organisers, their sponsors and to my supporters and truly appreciate your understanding during this challenging time. I am committed to rescheduling or working with the promoters to find a suitable alternative once I have recovered. I can't wait to see you all soon.'
IOL News
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Thato' is here! Kelvin Momo drops new album just before Red Bull Symphonic confirmation
Kelvin Momo's highly anticipated album 'Thato' has finally arrived. Image: X The people's favourite Amapiano DJ and music producer, Kelvin Momo, released his highly anticipated album, 'Thato', on Friday, May 30. Like most of his body of work, 'Thato' is a masterful blend of Amapiano and jazz, which creates a deeply emotional and evocative sound that resonates with his fans. The opening track, titled 'Buya', features the late vocal powerhouse, Yallunder, with whom Momo has worked on previous albums. The 29-track album features an array of talented vocalists, each bringing their unique style and energy to the table. With its rich instrumentation and heartfelt lyrics, the album has already won the hearts of many. This is the 'Emaphupheni' hitmaker's seventh solo studio album; it comes after 'Ntsako', which he released in December 2024. His albums are always anticipated by his fans, who stay up until midnight to experience his artistry. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Given Momo's track record of producing chart-topping hits and songs, the album is already climbing up the charts, surpassing track records that were held by his previous albums 'Ntsako', 'Sewe', 'Kurhula' and 'Amukelani'. The album's release comes at an interesting time, with speculation swirling about Momo's involvement in the upcoming Red Bull Symphonic event. The event is scheduled to take place on June 6, 7, and 8. He was announced as the headliner in April. However, before the release of 'Thato', Momo archived all mentions of the Red Bull Symphonic event from his Instagram feed, including the link to purchase tickets from his bio. This was picked up by a fan who took to X to share the news. Kelvin removed the Symphonic posts alongside the link to the event? 😭😭😭😭😭🤣 — Island gworl🏝️ (@ndzalyy_) May 28, 2025 This move has sparked rumours that he might not perform at the event as previously announced. However, all is well, as it turned out that he was just archiving posts in preparation for the release of 'Thato'. The scepticism from fans comes after the Amapiano sensation missed three gigs, citing health issues. Last week, he was booked to play at Cafe 69, Piano Hub and Makubenjalo but later released a statement explaining why he could not make it. Concerns about his reliability have been growing among his fans as they questioned if he will show up at the scheduled Red Bull Symphonic event. Rightfully so, since there have been more incidents of him missing performances he had been booked for. In May, it was reported that the 31-year-old DJ is facing a financial threat after Australian firm Ace Events filed court documents seeking the liquidation of his company, 'Kelvin Momo Productions'. The claim alleges that his company owes up to R2.8 million in refunds and damages due to his failure to perform at two scheduled shows in Australia last year.
The Citizen
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Kelvin Momo releases album amid speculation about his involvement at this year's Redbull Symphonic
Momo removed all Red Bull Symphonic-related content from his social media. Kelvin Momo has released a new album, this after speculation of him no longer performing at the Redbull Symphonic Ochestra. Picture: Kelvin Momo/Facebook Music producer Kelvin Momo has released a new album after a tumultuous week in the media, which led to speculation about his involvement at this year's Red Bull Symphonic. 'It's not just an album for me, this one hits home,' wrote Momo on his Instagram stories. Real name Thato Ledwaba, on Friday, Momo released the 29-track album titled Thato. 'This is the only way I can express my emotions and feelings,' Momo wrote in his Instagram stories. This week, Momo's team released an apologetic statement after the amapiano producer missed two shows he was scheduled for the weekend before. Earlier this month, reports emerged about an Australian promoter filing a liquidation application against Momo's company, Kelvin Momo Production, in the Johannesburg High Court. This was after he failed to honour his performance commitments in Melbourne and Perth, where he was booked to play 60-minute sets on two consecutive nights in November 2024. The Citizen reached out to the producer and his team for comment. However, no response was received at the time of publishing. ALSO READ: Kelvin Momo a no-show – again Speculation over Redbull Symphonic participation Amid the negative media reports surrounding him, Momo removed all Red Bull Symphonic-related content from his social media. This led to speculation and concern that he might no longer perform at the concert, together with music director and conductor Adam Howard and the Egoli Symphonic Orchestra. Kelvin removed the Symphonic posts alongside the link to the event? 😭😭😭😭😭🤣 May 28, 2025 The Citizen reached out to Red Bull for comment following the removal of the content from Momo's social media. No response was received. However, on Friday morning, following The Citizen's enquiry, which was shared with Momo and Red Bull, the producer reinstated all the Red Bull Symphonic posts that had been removed a few days earlier. What Momo did was archive his Instagram posts. This is a tool on Instagram that allows a person to remove a post from the public's view temporarily. Yet, the account holder can still see the archived posts and even unarchive them to make them visible on their Instagram feed again. Before this, Momo had posted a cryptic message on his Instagram about choosing himself. ALSO READ: WATCH: Kelvin Momo on 'private school' Amapiano and Red Bull Symphonic hype Momo's long album Some have joked that his albums are so long that one can drive from Joburg to Limpopo just listening to one of Momo's albums until they reach their destination. His latest release runs for just under four hours. 'You know when you're in studio and you do a song and the song becomes nicer as you add more elements like the bass guitar. I just decide there that the song is getting stretched and made longer because it shouldn't be this short,' Momo told The Citizen earlier this year. NOW READ: Adam Howard: SA's adopted son who fell in love with the music and never looked back
TimesLIVE
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
‘A bold voice who brought courage' — tributes pour in for comedian Thato Mabelane
Industry colleagues, friends and fans have taken to social media to pay tribute to comedian Thato Mabelane. Thato succumbed to cancer in the early hours on Monday. Thato's friend Dr Estelle Wiid confirmed the news to TshisaLIVE, revealing the comedian was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago but it metastasised to the brain. Ahead of the memorial ceremony set to take place on June 1 at Chapmans Peak second viewing point in Cape Town from 2pm, industry colleagues reflected on the impact she made as a comedian, HR specialist and champion rower. ' We are deeply saddened by the passing of comedian Thato Mabelane. She was an inspiration to many, a bold voice who brought courage, honesty and heart to the stage and in life. Her presence in the South African comedy scene will be missed. Condolences to her family, friends and fans. May she rest in peace,' wrote Cassandra 'Dedekind' Garofallou.
