LINDIWE SUTTLE – Kamikaze Art
Nov 2012
Biography
Kamikaze Art is the debut album by performance artist and singer-songwriter Lindiwe
Suttle. The album was produced by Ivan Georgiev in Berlin. Kamikaze Art walks the line
between avant-garde and mainstream with a balance of up-tempo songs and ballads.
Grammy-nominated Mastering Engineer Dave Kutch who mastered the album in New York
described the sound as “organic electronic soul.”
Lindiwe sings about political corruption, being bullied in high school, her love for fashion,
the internal struggle between good and bad and social justice songs of unity. “I called the
album Kamikaze Art because I feel I have given all of myself. Each song is deeply personal,
open and honest,” explains Lindiwe.
Her first single….I think Andile should include info on two singles Twilight & Kamikaze and
also about German EP release for Feb and include SA announcement.
When Lindiwe Suttle was a little girl, she listened to her parent’s Motown soul hits by day
and would go to her room to sing and dance to tunes by Michael Jackson, Boy George and
Cyndi Lauper when they were sleeping. In high school, Lindiwe discovered writing lyrics as
a way to express herself inspired by artists like Tori Amos, Bjork and PJ Harvey; these
artists helped shape the way Lindiwe told her own stories. She would belt out her own
songs and perform in front of the mirror for hours. It’s no wonder this petite package of
energy became the talented singer-songwriter and consummate performer she is today.
She lives up to her Zulu name, Lindiwe, which means “the one we’ve been waiting for”.
It was not until completing an MBA in Entrepreneurship/Marketing and a successful career
in the fashion industry that Lindiwe decided to follow her dream of becoming a performer.
She was a fashion stylist to celebrities like, Beyonce Knowles, Cynthia Nixon, and Ciara and
worked with fashion houses like DKNY and Kenneth Cole, which inspired her to become
the fashion conscious performer she is today.
In 2008, Lindiwe became the lead singer of the South African jazz/hip-hop band, The
Collective Imagination. This was indeed the genesis of Lindiwe’s musical career. In late
2009, Lindiwe then launched her solo career that generated a lot of media coverage. She
started performing acoustic soul sets in small clubs in Cape Town to intimate crowds.
Lindiwe’s shift to developing her own sound came when she was discovered by German
music legend, Marius Mueller-Westernhagen, after seeing her perform in Cape Town. He
told her, “You are very talented but I can tell you are not doing the music you really want
to do.” A year later, Marius introduced Lindiwe to producer Ivan Georgiev in Berlin,
Germany.
Lindiwe and Ivan formed a special bond and began bouncing music ideas back and forth
from Cape Town to Berlin to create a sound that blended her soulful voice with the Berlin
electronic sound. Lindiwe returned to Berlin in May 2011 to begin writing and recording
the album Kamikaze Art. The album was mastered in New York at the Mastering Palace by
Grammy nominated sound engineer Dave Kutch who has mastered top artist releases such
as The Roots, Alicia Keys, John Legend, and Al Green.
On stage Lindiwe has a commanding presence and creates a unique stage persona
blending fashion and music to create live shows that are theatrical in style. Lindiwe’s
passion for musical theatre influences the dance choreography, over-the-top styling, stage
props and visuals in her live performances. As she aptly puts it, "I sing for the eyes and the
ears and want to take my audience to a magical musical world.”
Artist and Album Reviews
The singers (Lindiwe Suttle and Toya Delazy) with the likes of Zaki Ibrahim, are among a
new breed of artists described as Afropolitans who are successfully blurring genres such as
jazz, electro-hop and pop.
The Weekend Argus – South Africa
“On a diva scale from zero to Grace Jones, Lindiwe is bat-sh*t crazy. Her album Kamikaze
Art album received 3 ½ stars out of 4.”
Rolling Stone Magazine – South Africa
“Lindiwe started out in the fashion industry and had her big break styling artists like
Beyoncé and Ciara. But with a voice and style like hers, it can’t be argued that this lady
belongs to be in the spotlight herself.”
Vogue – Italy
“With her first single Man Made Moon, which she premiered at the World Cup concert in
Cape Town, she now wants to conquer the world with her wonderfully gentle soul voice,
catchy songs and keen sense of style.”
Elle – Germany
"A new breed of female recording star has arrived. Lindiwe Suttle is Afropolitan,
independent and blurs the genres.”
City Press newspaper- South Africa
“Lindiwe has a powerful voice with a soft quality added to it. Watch out for her as she
climbs the ladder in the SA music industry.”
Cosmopolitan - South Africa
“Lindiwe Suttle dazzles South Africans and tourists at the FIFA Welcome to the World
concert at the Grand Parade Fan Fest.”
Cape Times newspaper- South Africa
“Let us be the first to tell you that Lindiwe can sing. From belting out the big notes to
crooning the little ones, Suttle is the sugar sweet component to the band, The Collective
Imagination.”
GQ Magazine – South Africa
Press Coverage


















Vogue magazine, Italy
Monocle, Global
Elle magazine, Germany
Freundin, Germany
Arise magazine, Global
Elle magazine, South Africa
Marie Claire, South Africa
In Style, South Africa
Glamour, South Africa
Cosmopolitan, South Africa
GQ, South Africa
Oprah, South Africa
Real Simple, South Africa
Seventeen, South Africa
House & Leisure, South Africa
Destiny Magazine COVER, South Africa
Balanced Life COVER, South Africa
Cell C Magazine COVER, South Africa
Awards & Accolades






Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans doing extraordinary things - 2012
Cosmo Magazine All Star - musicians that rocked SA music scene 2011
Glamour Magazine’s Woman of the Year - Style Icon 2010
SA Style Awards - Most Stylish Overall Winner 2010
SA Style Awards - Most Stylish Musician 2010
Glamour Magazine Style Blogger - “Style Stalker Blog” by Lindiwe
Brand Endorsements

Face of Woolworths Beauty campaign - 2011



Face of Frazer Parfum campaign - 2010
Puma Creative Ambassador - designed sneakers & tracksuit top for Puma
Tom Ford sunglasses & optical Ambassador - only SA Ambassador
Noteworthy Performances




















Kirstenbosch Gardens, alongside Toya Delazy. Cape Town, January 2013
J&B Met, Cape Town, February 2013
BRICKS Festival alongside Hugh Masekela, Madala Kunene and Mi Casa, Durban,
March 2013.
Cape Town World Music Festival, with Spoek Mathambo. Cape Town, Nov 2013
The OR Tambo International Feather Awards - Joburg 2012
City Press VIP Dinner-Dance Gala – Joburg 2012
Veuns & Serena Williams Breaking the Mould Gala dinner – Joburg 2012
Estee Lauder Breast Cancer Global Illumination Project – Joburg 2012
Cape Town International Jazz Fest – Cape Town 2012
Ericsson Global Conference - Cape Town 2012
BMW & MINI Global Conference - 30 concerts - Frankfurt, Germany 2011
MINI Global executive Conference - 8 shows - Munich, Germany 2011
In Style magazine - annual fashion show - Moscow, Russia 2011
Design Indaba Official Concert - Cape Town 2011
Nelson Mandela Legacy Gala Dinner - Cape Town 2010
FIFA World Cup Welcome the World Concert - Cape Town 2010
V&A Waterfront New Year’s Eve Bash - Cape Town 2010
Tom Ford Launch - Johannesburg 2010
Marie Claire – Prix d’ Excellence de la Mode Awards - Cape Town 2010
Opened for Mos Def, Finely Quaye.
Management- South Africa
Sevi Spanoudi
Spanoudi@gmail.com
+27 72 013 0788