Q&A with LeAnne Dlamini
So we got the opportunity to ask LeAnne Dlamini a few questions and this is how it went down.
First of all I’d like to thank you for your time and answering these questions
Bongani: Most importantly who is LeAnne because many people can put a name to the face but may not know who LeAnne might be could you tell us a bit about you.?
LeAnne: I consider myself to be a regular girl with big dreams who is incredibly blessed. I’m married to the love of my life,have 2 beautiful daughters & i do what i love,sing,perform & entertain people. Not everyone gets to follow their dreams & actually live it out,hence i say i’m incredibly blessed.
Bongani: Next question which I’m certain many people are always asking, how do you do it? Strictly come dancing, the music career and being the super mom that you are and still look so good?
LeAnne: I ask myself this question everyday & i wonder how other people do it,lol. It takes a village! Haha…
Time management & planning plays a huge part in making my days run smoothly. My mom,our nanny & my husband play a huge part in taking care of the girls,especially when i’m working. And with regards to me looking good,I think all the dancing for SCD is helping so i’m killing 2 birds with one stone I guess, learning my dances & losing weight! Winning!!!!!
Bongani: What does the average day look like for you?
LeAnne: I’m up at 6:30am everyday to get Zani ready for school that’s if Zaya hasn’t woken me up between 4:30-5:30am for a feed.
Drop Zani off at school at 7:45am. Back home to spend some time Zaya & get ready for rehearsals. Rehearse from 9-1pm,pick Zani up from school,have a lunch break & back to rehearse at 4pm-8pm. 8pm,put Zani & Zaya to bed,eat,answer emails,sleep & wake up & do it all over again!
Bongani: How did it feel when you found out that you are one of the few people selected for the this seasons strictly come dancing?
LeAnne: I was incredibly shocked,nervous & scared out of my mind,lol. I’m not a great dancer so this for me was huge!
Bongani: How’d it feel being on the dance floor as a princess and what inspired the princess and prince theme
LeAnne:It felt incredible transforming into a Princess on the floor,it was like living out every little girl’s fantasy. Our partners come up with themes & concepts based on music given to them so our theme was all Johannes’s genius idea!
Bongani: When it comes to your music where do you draw your inspiration from?
LeAnne:Anything & everything. Life,love & everything in between.
Bongani: As an artist so you have a particular creative process that you follow prior to performing or recording?
LeAnne:Recording for me is the hard & time consuming part, but once I’m in the studio,hear a beat that I like everything usually flows. I prefer to write in studio & record the song there & then that’s why it usually takes a lot of time.
Performing is the fun part,I’m just singing my songs in front of loads of people & I can get lost in my own world.
Bongani: When did you realize that you can sing and what made you follow through with music?
LeAnne:I was either 11 or 12 & my primary school held auditions for a production they were about to do & they were looking for a female lead. I auditioned & I remember the teacher saying that’s what we’re looking for & I thought to myself this is cool, my hobby is actually working out.
Bongani: How do you feel about the state of music in South Africa and do you feel people are receiving your music the way you hope they would?
LeAnne:I think the music industry is actually in a really good place right now. In terms of growth we’ve got so many incredible artists making good,quality music. For me I would love to hear my music on all radio stations,main stream & our smaller community stations. I’d also like my songs to be played as many times as they’d play the new Rihanna or Beyonce song,that way people would get LeAnne’s music engraved in their brains as much too!
Bongani: What’s on your play list daily?
LeAnne:Lots of Beyonce,James Fortune,AKA, Kelly Rowland, Fuse ODG
Bongani: Do you have any words of encouragement for those young woman that feel that it may be impossible to achieve what you have?
LeAnne:Never give up,keep going. That moment when you feel like you can’t go on anymore,keep pushing,your breakthrough is around the corner. Slow progress is still progress & I often have to tell myself that! Keep working hard,anything is possible!