Jarrad Ricketts isn’t letting the lockdown stop him from performing.
The Cape Flats singing sensation hosted his first-ever online concert on Wednesday night.
South African musicians have been feeling the pinch with all gigs cancelled for the next few months, after government banned public events.
So Jarrad, 32, came up with the idea of a virtual concert to give him and his fellow musicians an income boost.
Intimate Sessions with Jarrad Ricketts and friends featured Saxophonist Don Vino, singer Judah and pianist Roderick McKay.
The concert was performed at Penny Lane Recording Studios in Wynberg and hosted by Mrs South Africa finalist and TV presenter Olwethu Nodada
To view the virtual concert, fans paid R50 via Webtickets to access a streaming link to the live YouTube show.
166 tickets were sold and Jarrad says it was a “massive success”.
“The show was a massive success considering we only had 12 hours to put the entire event together, secure performing acts, rehearse with the band, rehearse with a camera, sound and lighting crew and advertise the event.”
Jarrad mesmerised the audience with classics such as Fever, Corner of the Earth and a breathtaking duet with Judah on Beyonce and Luther Vandross’ Closer I get to you.
He closed the set with his hit song Paradise, featuring Don Vino, who blew everyone away when he performed 100 Ways and Can We Talk.
“I really wanted to give my audience a high quality and top-class online concert experience, and we were successful in doing so,” added Jarrad.
“This show really stretched the boundaries of what is possible and judging by all the positive feedback, I will definitely be doing many more Intimate Sessions in future.
“Planning is underway for a series of sessions with a variety of artists who have expressed interest to join and be a part of this online, digital movement.”