Put Monique Bingham's distinct voice on a house track, and you are guaranteed a hit. As one of the greatest female house vocalists, she has contributed to major dance records of the last two decades.
To celebrate her legacy, she will next drop a remix EP of her classics with a modern twist.
She speaks to Sowetan about her journey:
Is SA your second home?
Definitely. This is home to me, and has been for many years; I’ve spent more time here than anywhere else. I have a few favourite places in SA, and as a black person from the West, to come to Africa and be embraced, to witness the beauty and the talent, and to be welcomed like this – it’s truly magical.
I spend most of my time in Joburg, and as a New York girl, I kind of feel like Sandton and Gauteng are the New York of SA.
I feel comfortable here – there’s the Gautrain, which reminds me of the subway. I also enjoy performing in Soweto; the energy there is indescribable.
Will you ever relocate?
Yes, I’m a Gauteng girl. I’ve been thinking about it. My dream is to have a place in Cape Town, Durban and Joburg.
What are your early memories of SA?
I remember my first gig at the Cape Town Jazz Festival in 2011 – I had no idea that I had any presence in SA, let alone a hit. My song We Had a Thing came out during a time when there was no internet, so when I landed, I found out it was huge on this side.
It’s an amazing thing to have your music travel to places without you, and then to discover that you were there the whole time.
Classics Take Me to My Love and Deep in the Bottom (of Africa) are timeless. How do you see them?
Deep in the Bottom (of Africa) was my love letter to SA. This year it's 10 years old, and I feel like it came out yesterday. When I perform that song, there are so many places, especially here obviously, but around the world, people embrace that record.
Take us through the upcoming remix EP.
We’re almost done with the EP. There’s no exact release date, but I’ve got all the players on board and a really lovely package of remixes and talent – including two incredible women, one of them being DBN Gogo. Looking at what’s happened over the last 10 years with the rise of the global SA music scene, the young producers and all that energy, I realised the songs are still relevant.
So, I thought, why not take this and give it to the new generation? Let them see what they can come up with and reimagine it.
What inspires your passion for mentoring and empowering other women?
Doing business with women makes sense – not just because they’re talented, but because of the way we work, and the respect we have for one another. I was performing at Afro House Queens a couple of weekends ago, and Bucie was there too. We were pampered right after our set with massages after we got offstage, tea and the whole space to just relax and unwind.
I realised that whenever I do events where women are the promoters, they always do something special like that – they treat each other with a more respect.
What’s your biggest career highlight?
Being able to travel around the world. It’s by far the greatest gift that music has ever given me – a ticket around the world, to meet people from everywhere and make true friends.
What do you want the new generation to take from the EP?
To be as fearless as you can be, which I don’t think I have to tell this new generation. And I think in the face of the way things seem to be turning in so many governments and societies – turning to the right and trying to silence voices – they’ve got to hang onto that. That “don’t give up” attitude. Keep saying what you want to say.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.