With the weather being well into the transition phase between summer and winter, we’re ready to slow down with a book or two. Or, if you’re not keen on reading, we also have a suggestion for a podcast, as well as some songs that will set the scene…
LIFT Airline’s passengers were recently surprised with a spontaneous book launch in the sky. Yes, the award-winning South African author, Jo Watson launched her new book, Love at First Flight on a flight from Joburg to Cape Town! The book involves the story of an air-traffic controller who meets a pilot, culminating in a fake dating pact, resulting in the unexpected. Watson’s book, Love To Hate You reached #9 on the Amazon UK charts and this new book promises to be quite the popular read too.
Mike Abel, one of South Africa’s leading marketing, advertising and communications specialists and founder of the award-winning agency, M&C Saatchi Abel, engages in candid conversations on the new podcast, Willing & Abel. On it, he talks to some of the nation’s top minds in business, entertainment, branding and social entrepreneurship. Ultimately, he explores subjects of leadership, intuition, how to contribute meaningfully to this uncertain world, and who to take with you on the journey. Mike says: “Democratising these invaluable insights gives listeners a ‘fly on the wall’ opportunity to glean wisdom, learnings and lessons from brilliant and accomplished minds across sectors and industries.” Find these podcast episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and most other popular podcast platforms.
Written specifically for a friend of his many years ago, Richard Stirton’s single, Cold On Me, fell into place when he revisited the song in 2023. It’s about a lover who was excited by the idea of a relationship, but who only showed their true colours after all the celebrations of the big day had finished and the ‘honeymoon phase’ had passed. “I hope this song unites a bunch of people who have experienced the same thing with past lovers,” the singer-songwriter says. “It’s a song to sing along to, scream your lungs out to and a reminder of your self-worth.”
Additionally, Stirton has also just released another single, Long Gone – a third glimpse into his brand-new EP, set for release later this year. He describes this latest release not only as the most honest and raw vocal delivery he’s ever performed, but also the best song he’s ever written. Listen to it here.
Inspired by the feeling experienced in a relationship when you love someone, but you are not sure it will work, Pedro Barbosa’s new song, Runaway, is a sad love song. In essence, it is about trying to find the good in something that went wrong. “We tend to get quite negative in relationships when something goes wrong,” he says, “and I wanted to reflect and evoke those feelings in the song.”
It was recently announced that Take That – the award-winning and smash hit makers – will be bringing their This Life On Tour to Pretoria and Cape Town in October 2024, in collaboration with Big Concerts. Tickets went on sale on 1 March 2024, and while you think you might still have some time to buy them, keep in mind that Take That’s 2011’s Progress Tour broke box office records by selling over 1 million tickets in less than 24 hours. The band is constantly evolving and the future certainly looks bright for this trio.
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