There’s nothing plain about this Cape Flats diva, who is firmly cementing her name in the local entertainment industry.
Kashiefa Blaauw is a force to be reckoned with. A rather underrated performer, the mom of three has cut her teeth in the industry since she was a tiny 10-year-old meisie.
The singer from Eastridge in Mitchells Plain is hosting her first solo show this weekend in partnership with LOL Productions and Dham Holdings, called The Whitney Houston Review at the Joseph Stone Auditorium in Athlone.
The 33-year-old mom says despite her covering music from various timeless divas, fans have always leaned more to her Whitney Houston performance, hence the decision to finally give the fans what they want - a full evening of all their favourite Whitney songs.
An excited Kashiefa says: “My mom says I first sang a Whitney Houston song at three years old.
“She says I sang ‘I Will Always Love You’ and she immediately knew I would follow in the footsteps of my grandmother - my ouma was also a singer.
“My mom recognised my talent when I was young and she urged me to perform at my school at Eastville Primary, for the first time.
“My mom then let me join Boeta Maan [Omar Adams] at his Kinders Van Die Ses drama group and my childhood acting career bloomed immensely under his guidance.
“We never had access to the upper-class theatre groups, but we had the best teacher in the trade. Boeta Maan groomed us to the best of his ability and gave us opportunities.”
Blaauw says she and her brother got to earn money through their performances with the iconic KVDS crew and this helped them support their parents financially.
“We could help our parents pay for minor things and we could even buy our own school shoes with the money we made acting.”
Blaauw says her biggest dream was to perform in a David Kramer production.
She adds: “And a few years ago I got to perform in District Six Kanalla, a production by David Kramer. Do you know how huge this was for me? It was one of my dreams to work with such a legend.”
Catch Blaauw on Friday night at 8pm at the Joseph Stone Auditorium in Athlone. Tickets range from R125 to R150 via Webtickets.
venecia.america@inl.co.za