AMANDA "BLACK"

THE STORY BEHIND THE STAGE NAME

Amanda Antonia Benedicta

Amanda Antony Benedicta is a South African singer and guitarist who dropped her first single Amazulu in 2016 summer. The singer was once an SA idol contender and was eliminated shortly before the top 5 in 2015. Amanda was signed to a record label Ambitious Entertainment found by Kgosi Mahumapelo and then decided on the stage name Amanda Black.

Amanda's first hit single Amazulu

Amanda said the story behind her stage name was that in her young age she never tolerated being black. “I used to not like my dark skin because everyone said light-skinned girls were prettier. I had fair-complexioned friends and sometimes I’d be the darkest of them all. At times, it affected how I felt about my looks,” Amanda opened up to DRUM Magazine during an interview. Regardless of how she felt about her skin colour, she still believed in her dream of becoming a singer and still worked hard towards making it happen. Amanda said that she has learned that she had a hard time coping with her identity due to not accepting herself as an African as she would sometimes speak English with her family at home.

She said she started accepting who she is and acknowledging her Xhosa culture after she read a book by Steve Biko titled Black Consciousness. The book gave her the strength to appreciate herself in the way she is and the talent and potential she has within her regardless of who she is and her skin colour.

Amanda recently won two awards at the 16th Metro FM Awards. She walked away with Best R&B Single for her jam Separate and the Listeners Choice Award.