Queer Music: Ange Madame Defies limits with New Album

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Article by Mamba Writer | November 15, 2024 | In Culture, HEADLINES

South African queer avant-garde artist Ange Madame unveils their second album and continues to create unseen worlds in their music and art

The Cape Town-born multidisciplinary artist and alternative pop musician recently released their ambitious self-titled latest project Ange Madame a genre-bending album that blends R&B with disco, pop, jazz, and techno schools of music.

The Ange Madame project includes two new short film music videos D.W.Y.L x Starlight x Moonlight and Inhale that introduce four songs off the album which was co-produced with French virtuoso Robbie Boney.

It has been a busy 12 months for the Cape Town based producer, rapper, vocalist and performance artist who last year won the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Performance Art at the National Arts Festival.

Ange Madame (previously known as Angel Ho) is recognised for their limit-defying approach to performance, musical production and digital expression.

Ange Madame studied fine arts at the University of Cape Town and has cited Björk and Lady Gaga as influences. They went on to co-found the now-defunct collective and independent record label NON Worldwide that sought to create a platform for African artists. They released their debut album, Death Becomes Her in 2019, and has opened for British rapper M.I.A. in South Africa.

Transcending the boundaries found in the disciplines they work in, Ange Madame merges drag, performance and sound installation to build worlds that challenge societal expectations of gender, identity and culture.

“I believe that gender and sexuality are categories that can be used as tools for creating one’s unique expression of reality,” asserts the artist. “Through my art, I aim to challenge conventions and embrace the fullness of who I am.”

Parallel, but not separate to their artistic pursuits, Ange Madame uses their platform and personal journey to advocate for mental wellness: “I want to show that it’s okay to struggle, and that our battles don’t define us. We can find beauty and strength in our vulnerabilities. Life is a gift, and I strive to honour that gift every day through my art.”

Living beyond the ear, on dance floors, radios and playlists, an integral part of Ange Madame’s practice plays out through performance.

Whether in museums or as a part of major festivals, their performances fulfil their need to create an atmosphere that transforms the everyday into a spectacle like the one they sustained over three nights, at the National Art Festival, as the 2023 performance art Standard Bank Young Artist. The award enabled the development of Ange Madame to realise the goal of another full-length album.

“Our commitment to the arts is centred around fostering the freedom of expression necessary for creative breakthroughs while ensuring a platform that hears and celebrates a diverse range of voices,” said Bonga Sebesho, Standard Bank’s Group Head of Sponsorship. “We are thrilled to witness this in Ange Madame whose work not only reflects the richness of South Africa’s culture but also invites all of us to expand our world view.”