Tamara Dey first burst into the music scene in 2000

Described as the first lady of kwaito, an icon of township pop, & ‘the first lady of song’ (Sunday Times), Tamara Dey was discovered by DJ Pepsi who introduced her to Bruce Sebitlo and Oscar Mdlongwa of Brothers of Peace.  The result was a collaboration, which produced the chart-topping Thathi Mpahlakho and launched her career.

Tamara has managed to cross all cultural, age & language barriers. She unassumingly has been recognized as one of the few SA artists contributing towards bridging the gap between all cultures, ages & races. With 11 official languages in SA, Tamara’s music undoubtedly has become an unofficial language, celebrating the heart & soul of South Africa.

Embodying our potential for cultural fusion, without compromise, Tamara makes the ‘D List’ for 2004’s South African Design Indaba.

“More aspirational than the A-list…
Better dressed than the B-list….
More cultured than the C list…
The D-list-South Africa’s most Desirable.”

Some background:
Born Tamara Nathalie Atzeni in Belgium of an Italian father and South African mother, this 23 year-old singer stems from a vast musical gene pool.  Her biological father excelling as a musician in Europe, her aunt being a singer, her great grandmother an opera singer and her great uncle being an established jazz musician. It was Tamara’s adoptive father Rodney Dey who constantly exposed Tamara to all sorts of musical genres in her home. Through dancing lessons as a child, appearances in school musicals and plays and vast amounts of training and performing whilst growing up, this artist has emerged as a fully trained singer.

Her voice training through high school was the catalyst that eventually led to her singing with deejays at clubs.  Writing her own melodies and lyrics, she would provide the vocals driving drum ‘n bass grooves at parties.  This led to her singing at some of the top clubs – eventually to be spotted by DJ Pepsi.

Pepsi contacted her to sing at his club where countless doors began to open for her – including her first TV appearance on Ziwa Mo.  Through Pepsi she met Oscar and Bruce (BOP) and after seeing her rehearse, she was offered to feature on the Brothers Of Peace album Project A.

Being on the album opened more doors for Tamara.  The vocal track that proved to be especially fruitful for her career was Thathi Mpahlakho, although she also performed on the track – Sikelela.  She performed at parties, events and bashes.  Being with the Brothers Of Peace also gave Tamara the chance to be in the music video for Thathi Mpahlakho and Sikelela. The video has received extensive backing by television – especially Channel O. 
Tamara then went on tour with the Brothers Of Peace on the Sony Summer Sounds Tour.

In January 2001 Tamara made yet another TV appearance – this time on the popular soap opera Backstage. Through determination and hard work, Tamara finally delivered the goods with her debut EP ‘The First Lady’, a five-track collection of some of the hottest talent in the local dance scene.  In addition to having worked with Alexis, Mandla and Pepsi, Tamara has also worked closely with the beautiful Lebo Mathosa.  Their duet – a track called ‘Choose Life’ is featured on the EP.  Thembi Seete, also of Boom Shaka, offered the township rap on this track.

Tamara was featured again on Backstage – this time in celebration of Woman’s Day with Lebo Mathosa and Bongo Maffin’s Thandiswa.  They were commissioned to write and perform a song for Woman’s Day and the hit ‘Woman’ was spawned. This track also features on The First Lady. 

2002
Tamara was nominated for three Standard Bank SAMA Awards:
-Best Pop Album – for The First Lady
-Best Dance Album – for The first Lady
And the most prestigious of all,
-Best Newcomer.

She was also nominated for:
-‘Best Female Artist Of The Year award at the Metro FM awards, up against Lebo Mathosa and Brenda Fassie, two of the countries most famous and sought-after artists.
-‘Most Stylish Female Singer in a Music Video’ at the Elle Magazine Style awards.

Tamara began work on her second album ‘The First Lady And The Boys’. Whilst recording Tamara spent her time promoting her much-loved debut album ‘The First Lady’ across the country.

Some of the shows Tamara performed at included The SABC 1 TV Celebrity Road show, The Rand Easter Show, The Cell C Loerie awards, The Smirnoff Experience alongside ‘Masters At Work’, Jazzy Jeff and Barbara Tucker, \

2003
Tamara releases her 2nd album entitled ‘The First Lady & The Boys’. The Boys are the producers behind the scenes. Whilst the spotlight is always placed on the artist, Tamara shifts focus & recognizes the importance of the ‘producer/s (The Boys), the men behind the scenes, the very people that make an album happen.

The First Lady And The Boys; Tamara hooked up with some of South Africa’s top producers to create a hot new dance CD filled with jazz, pop, rock, funk and kwaito influences.

“My dream team made this album possible,” says Tamara. “I’m proud of the choices I’ve made in terms of producers and musicians. As much as I have talent, creativity and vision I haven’t stood alone. There’s been this group of people supporting me along the way and they have formed my backbone…”

The First Lady And The Boys is “a dance album first and foremost, but it’s extremely emotional and musical, “explains the first lady. “It’s diverse, as much as it’s a dance album and that’s the line that follows through; it has so many influences from kwaito, pop, jazz-rock, funky etc. I wouldn’t want it to be put in any kind of a musical box, but this time I’m telling people ‘you’ll wanna groove to every song’ but at the same time it keeps you on your feet and nothing on the album sounds the same which has been a benefit of working with different producers from different genres of dance music who’re influenced by different things and people…”

Tamara worked with musical maestros: Bruce Sebitlo from Brothers Of Peace fame, Jerah who created the house remix of Caiphus Semenya and Letta Mbulu’s ‘Ndiphendule’ (off the Club Y CD) and also created tracks for Rude Boy Paul’s Azanian Pulse album. Trompies member Mandla Spikiri added his kwaito touch; Craig Massive from The Jazzworx collective is also in the house.  Alexis Faku, who has worked with Danny K, TK and Joyous Celebration in the past, is on the album as is producer and jazz pianist Bogdan Pashovski. Roger De Sousa and Jean Oosthuizen from Afro South Recordings and Kevin Manas and Tenyi from High Tech Audio Studios are in the mix too. Acclaimed guitarist Louis Mhlanga also appears on the album.
 
Within a week of release the track ‘Uyazi Mos’ climbed the charts, receiving extensive national airplay. The second single ‘Its Disco’ hit the number 1 spot on national radio & both tracks are still enjoying massive airplay with the words ‘uyazi Mos ‘ becoming a very trendy phrase of the SA youth.

Highlights of 2003
Tamara was invited to Egypt alongside Mondoza by the Egyptian embassy She was invited back again to perform at the closing ceremony at the Cairo Music festival. Other gigs; Vodacom 4U Campus tours, Presidents Cup & opening for Beyounce..to name but a few, were memorable moments.

Tamara was nominated for-
-Best Female vocalist, Metro Fm awards,
-Cosmpolitan Magazine’s Awsome Woman of the year,
-E TV’s Nite Life Xmas Viewers Choice edition

But the big Bling Bling of 2003 was De Beers Diamond Company selecting Tamara to represent their ‘Shining Lights’ collection;
And she sure got to dazzle, as she was drenched in diamonds on top of a building in the Johannesburg inner city recording the video for the house track S‘Groovy Baby’, sponsored by De Beers Diamonds. The video was premiered at a suitably glamorous occasion: Cape Town Fashion Week in August. This wonderful relationship with De Beers continues into 2004.

Tamara’s life has become a whirlwind of TV appearances, radio and press interviews and live performances.  Never losing her good-natured composure, she is a true star in the making – soft-spoken, charming and beautiful.