A manda Strydom is op 23 Julie 1956 in Port Elizabeth gebore. As kind het sy drama studeer aan Mari Mocke se Kinderteater en uitstekend gevaar in plaaslike kunswedstryde. Na sy matrikuleer aan die Hoërskool Framesby in 1974, verwerf sy die graad B.A.Drama aan die Universiteit van Pretoria in 1979.
Amanda is ‘n aktrise, skrywer, kabaretkunstenaar, komponis en digter-sanger sonder enige formele sang of musiekopleiding. Haar politieke bewussyn het in 1986 ‘n groot publieke reaksie ontlok toe sy haar lied, â€Die Pasâ€, oor die ongeregtgheid van die destydse paswette, in Stellenbosch met ‘n gebalde vuis en die “Amandla†kreet afgesluit het.
Kort na hierdie insident is sy emosioneel byna kreupel gelaat met bipolêre depressie waaroor sy later ‘n toneelstuk geskryf het. Die stuk is deur psigiaters en kritici geloof as ‘n openbaring. Strydom dra vandag steeds in die openbaar by om die stigma wat aan hierdie siekte kleef, die nek in te slaan.
Strydom is deur die jare bekroon met die volgende pryse:
Die Dalroprys
Vier Geraastoekennings
Vier FNB Vita toekennings
Twee Showtime toekennings
Die SAMA toekenning vir beste Afrikaanse Kontemporêre Album.
Die Kannaprys vir Beste Vroulike Kunstenaar (KKNK)
Die Laureatus/Laureata toekenning van die Universiteit van Pretoria
Die Vonk toekenning vir Beste Vroulike Kunstenaar
Die Herrieprys saam met Coenie de Villiers en Janine Neethling vir hul produksie “Ons loop die Pad†by vanjaar (2007) se KKNK
Strydom se boek,â€Kaalvoetâ€, met haar liedtekste, het in 2004 verskyn.
Sy het tot op datum ses eenvrou musiekteaterstukke, talle musiekproduksies en elf albums geskryf en geproduseer.
Mnr Nelson Mandela het haar in 2001 besoek nadat sy deur drie Rottweilers aangeval is. Dit was ‘n persoonlike hoogtepunt in haar lewe.
Strydom beywer haar vir die behoud van suiwer Afrikaans op haar vakgebied en is in Mei vanjaar (2007) met groot lof ontvang deur die Nederlandse en Belgiese publiek tydens haar toer deur die Laelande.Sy is onmiddelik weer bespreek vir ‘n volgende toer in Februarie 2008. (sien www.amandastrydom.eu )
Strydom is getroud met Tony de Beer en woon in Westdene, Johannesburg. Sy het nie kinders nie, maar ‘n magdom jong musikante beskou haar as hul “maâ€.
A manda Strydom is one of South Africa's most celebrated artists. Not only a singer and cabaret performer, as most people know her, she also writes most of her own lyrics and plays, and is an acclaimed actress.
Born in Port Elizabeth on July 23, 1956, she matriculated from Framesby High School in 1974. She also studied drama at Mari Mocke and Marlene Pieterse's "Kinderteater" (Children's Theatre) and excelled at local Eistedfodds. She can't read a note of music, has no formal singing training, except for school choirs, church and the great echo in the bathroom of her parents' home. She studied drama at the University of Pretoria and graduated with a BA Drama degree in 1978.
She was appointed to the Cape Provincial Arts Board's (Capab) main company and starred in "Kinkels innie kabel" and "Die Wonderwerk". The lead in a Franz Marx movie "Pasgetroud", whisked her into the freelance world in 1979, which took her from theatre to film, television, cabaret, TV presenter, radio disc jockey and writer.
Her cabaret at the Oude Libertas in Stellenbosch in 1986 caused outrage when she gave the black power salute after singing about the cruelty of the passlaws. Since then, she has often been called "Amandla" Strydom in the press.
Soon after this incident she was almost emotionally crippled with bipolar depression, about which she later wrote a play, "In Full Flight". The play has been hailed by critics as a "revelation".
After an abscence of three years from her entertainment career, Amanda returned to the stage in 1992 by writing and staging her own shows with great success and to wide critical acclaim.
Her compilation album, "Ek loop die pad, 20 jaar", was released in 2000 and celebrates 20 years of Amanda's life in songs.
Review
'Verspreide Donderbuie / Scattered Thunder' won 2 Geraas Awards - Best Solo Artist and Best Adult Contemporary Album 2003 and the SAMA for Best Adult Contemporary: Afrikaans 2003.
Amanda Strydom is a lady of many styles and genres. She's a diva, a folk-singer, a torch-singer and a rock 'n rollin' bitch. Amanda's album has a biligual title, and has 2 completely different title tracks, not just the same song sung with alternative lyrics. Amanda writes and sings in both English and Afrikaans and there are even a few Zulu phrases thrown in to give an African feel.
'Verspreide Donderbuie' (the opening song of the album) documents a road trip from Joburg to Cape Town with amazingly evocative images. 'Die pad verander stadig / in 'n gladde silwer slang'. Musical references to The Doors 'Riders On The Storm' abound, with stunning piano from arranger and co-composer Janine Neethling. And Juan (Floors) Oosthuizen roars out with short jabs of highway star guitar. Vinnie Henrico's drums pound into your head and Graham Currie's bass captures the heart. And this is just the first song. Play it again, it's that good.
'Doekvoet' is a very angry song which moves to a marching beat with backing vocals by Cutt Glas. 'Hit the woman, rape the child/ Niemand word gestraf'... and there's that guitar again. Awesome.
Miss Strydom is also very upset with Johannes Kerkorrel. 'Jy was selfsugtig, jy was wreed, jy sê: Miss Mandy, sny die brood'. Her song for Ralph Rabie, 'Ek Het Gedroom' will tear your heart out if you are not careful. She also does a cover of JK's 'Hoe Ek Voel'.
There a few other cover versions on this CD; a lovely version of Leonard Cohen's 'Take This Waltz', 'Sondag In Soweto' by Stef Bos and a truly excellent jazz-blues version of Rodriguez's 'Rich Folk Hoax'. Graham Currie played bass on the Sugarman's 1998 SA tour and his love for the man and his songs overflows in his bass-playing on this new version.
The rock and roll bitch comment in the opening paragraph might have got you confused, but one listen to 'Engel Met 'n Angel' (Angel with a Sting) will have you convinced. 'Verslaaf aan rock 'n roll en aan nicotien... Sy ry te vinnig vir my'. Amanda rocks, ok!
The closing track 'Ndiyakholelwa / Ek Glo' features the voices of the Afrika Mamas and lyrics that Roger Waters would be proud of, if he could write in Afrikaans: 'Ek glo in Rock and Roll en skaapjops... ek glo in God en al haar wonders'.
This is an angry album, a sad album, a happy album, but most of all this is album by a woman who knows herself and her craft and is not afraid to let us into her world. She loves her man, her country and her music... and it shows.
- Brian Currin, 6th October 2003
Amanda Strydom MP3s available from
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Profile coded by Brian Currin