“So you are from the media ….let me tell you this, I have not been paid,” PJ Powers said after her performance before storming out through the back door flanked by her manager Yvonne Johnston and the rest of her entourage.
Speaking to The Telegraph Arts & Society on Monday the concert organiser, Fatima, refuted the claims, saying she had paid the artist. That was the drama that followed the much anticipated PJ Powers concert held at the weekend at the Millennium Jazz joint.
For a much talked about show that had the older generation drooling with anticipation, PJ Powers’ performance at the Millennium Jazz Restaurant turned out to be a relative disappointment. The veteran singer who doesn’t look a day older than she was during her heyday, told Arts & Society after her performance that she hadn’t been paid by the promoter, Fatima.
“I have never dealt directly with PJ (Powers),” she said, “the agreement was between me and Yvonne (Johnston) .The agreement was such that she is paid after her performance.” Fatima says the decision to pay the South African after the concert was influenced by a previous incident where they had paid Powers prior to a concert only for the artist not to show up.
Speaking over the telephone from South Africa on Monday, Powers’ manager confirmed to Arts & Culture that Fatima did meet them at their hotel room after the concert and paid the rest of the money.
“What PJ told you at Millennium was actually true but we did receive the balance afterwards.”
She said the agreement was that Fatima pay the 50 percent of the fee before they came over, which she paid on November 11th, and rest of the money was to be paid just before the concert.
“I don’t think it was her fault,” Johnston said in Fatima’s defence, “I think she was having some problems with the people she was working with.”
Following an ominous looking weather that threatened to disrupt the show, Powers played some of the songs she says are from her new album. But perhaps to some people’s disappointment she played only a couple of the recognisable hits that made her a household name back in the 1980s like ‘Feel So Strong’ in which she had featured Steve Kekana. She also played Jabulani.
Also playing on the night were Puna and Nono, followed by Solly Sebatso who impressed with his guitar skills, reminiscent of the late folk music legend Stampore. Thabang was to follow, although he was interrupted midway through the first song due to poor sound quality. To their credit, the local artists rescued what could have turned into a show to forget.
