La VuVuZela

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Last updated 26 07 11

La VuVuZela:

With Moller working from the UK and Tarryn in Cape Town, Moller placed an ad on the Cape Town Gumtree website for vocalists and dancers to form the group. Tamsyn and Sam – both dancers – responded and La VuVuZela was born on August 23rd 2009. Since then the girls’ have put together their first single, ‘Be Mine Tonight’ in record time with the help of top international song writers and producers such as Jack D Elliot – who has worked with Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. Their debut single [Be Mine Tonight] went to hit No. 1 on the Nokia Take 40 SA charts and went on to become the charts 10th most popular record on their yearly top 100 chart. They also hit number one on Zane Derbyshire’s HIGHVELD & KFM’s Homebrew Top 10 Charts and since the release of their first album a second single titled “5 More Minutes” has also gone to No:1 on the Nokia take 40 chart.

In November last year, Lavuvuzela received airplay on commercial, community and university radio stations around both South Africa and Europe. They have also performed on local TV shows, ‘Hectic Nine-9’ on ETV and ‘What’s On’ on Cape Town TV. Each of the girls has a musical background dating back to primary school. Tarryn and Sam are both recent graduates from the Waterfront Theatre School and Tamsyn has trained and performed with local dance company Afrika Ablaze.

In Stereo the key song after which the album is named has been remixed by one of Germany’s hottest DJ’s, DJ Falk, who has a daily show on Sunshine Live Radio (www.sunshine-live.de) in Germany. This remixed version of In Stereo has already become the Record of the Week on Sunshine-Live radio and has been licensed in Germany to Tiger Records who were voted German dance label of the year for 2009 La VuVuZeLa’s new single, Play To Win, will be released shortly in preparation for the Soccer World Cup which is due for release in April 2010 by Gallo Records/Sexy Records in amalgamation with the South African Football Association.

LaVuvuzela have just finished a second European project as the featured vocalists with the highly successful European team known as “Hard Soul” with a song titled “Give A Little Love” set for release in Europe during April 2010.

Within six months of their conception on a Blackberry placed Gumtree ad LaVuVuZeLa have also been nominated for the South Africa Music Awards [SAMA] in the Best Pop Album Category with their Album titled “IN STEREO”.

 LaVuvuzela’s Rugby/Soccer 2010 Sports Anthem “PLAY TO WIN” is one of the 3 key titles on the “SHAPA BAFANA SHAPA” Official 2010 album released via GALLO Records South Africa LaVuvuzela are proudly South African and in turn have accepted an invitation to become Celebrity Ambassadors’ to the South African Springbok Rugby Team Supporters Club whom they honour and support with their LaVuvuzela catch phrase “THE SPRINGBOKS PLAY TO WIN”

La VuVuZela Band Members:

Tarryn Lamb 

I grew up in Ocean View, Cape Town and music was a big part of my life. I stem from a longline of ‘Kitchen Singers’, which is kind of singing while you do the dishes. My mother was also a pre-school teacher and taught me classics such as Oscar Hammerstein and Richards Rogers and exposed me to musicals such as The Sound Of Music, Mary Poppins, Oliver Twist and much more. 

Then at high school I was introduced to theatre, when an amazing teacher invited me along to see South African artist Amanda Strydom. I will never forget the feeling I had when I witnessed how she held an entire audience in the palm of her hand. That night, I imagined what it would be like if I was a famous singer, sharing my song and voice with the world. 

I started my journey at the age of four, when I started ballroom and Latin American dancing. I travelled considerably around SA with my ‘ouma‘ and won lots of trophies and medals which I loved showing off to anyone who visited – quite the drama queen back then already! Then in high school, my drama teacher cast me in the West Side Story musical doing full scale dancing, acting and singing. It was the most amazing experience of my life and I realised it was what I wanted to do with my life. 

After Matric, I went on to study drama and musical theatre full time at The Waterfront Theatre School. After graduation, I performed in The Kramer Peterson Songbook and worked with loads of musicians around the country. And early last year, I shot my first feature film, which will be hitting the big screen early this year. 

Now I am lead vocalist with Lavuvuzela and the dream has come true… look out world! 

Samantha Heldsinger 

I grew up in Monte Vista, my father was always very musical he used to Dj in his spare time and I used to go with him to his gigs and sleep behind the disco. So I was introduced to different kinds of music at a young age and I think that’s why I love music so much. 

When I was in primary school I learnt how to play recorder and piano but due to unforeseen circumstances had to quit. After school I would go to my parents offices that happened to be next to a dance studio, I used to sit and watch the girls in awe and attempt to copy them. Eventually the dance teacher asked my parents if I would like to join so I began training in modern dance and never stopped. When I was in high school I continued to dance, when I was in grade 8 I changed dancing studios and went on to learn tap dancing and get Western Province colours for funk dancing. 

When I was in school my parents took me to see many musicals and live performances. They took me to see the show African footprint, that show changed my life. I was going to become a charted accountant but that show made me decide to go study at the Waterfront Theatre School. I studied there for 4 years I majored in dance, took classes in drama, singing, musical theatre and received my teachers in Modern dance and Tap dance. 

From then I went out into the real world. I went to Johannesburg for a while, then came back to Cape town and went on to dance for the IPL Cricket. After that I did many corporate dance jobs, recorded my show reel (to go dance on crew ships) and joined the promo team for Vitamin Water. 

Now I am one of the dancers for La VuVuZela and living the life many people dream of, it is amazing.

Tamsyn Leigh Maker 

I was born in Wetton, Cape Town and lived there most of my life, growing up I was always known to be very sporty and an active person, I have always participated in cultural activities at school all the way through to high school. I played loads of sports from netball, team swimming, including soccer. 

I began dancing when I was 8 years old, at primary school, there was a dance group that rehearsed at our school every interval and I spent most of my lunch breaks just sitting outside the school hall and just watching them dance. Dance soon became a part of my life, I love music and all types, and I’m always open to new music so my favourites change often. I started modern dancing at school and soon fell in love, expressing music through feelings and dance is like they say “food to my soul”. 

During high school I started modelling, I’ve done some adverts, ramp and catalogues for local and International markets. During that time I joined a dance company called Africa Ablaze for a couple of years, this dance company taught me most of my dancing, participating in theatre and productions involving all types of dance from African jazz to hip hop which we performed all around Cape Town and Grahams Town. I later travelled to Malaysia with a dance crew to represent South Africa.

After high school I started studying business management and I am in my 3rd year now, one more to go!

Last year August 2009 I found Tarryn Lamb and La vuvuzela and my life changed when I became one of the dancers for the group!