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On Monday, Liquideep channelled their inner waitrons and served tables at Signs restaurant in Bryanston in a fun initiative that the duo initially thought was a standard media interview.
They were pleasantly surprised to find that the guests were some of the women whose music was on their Women’s Month playlists for August.
A heartwarming “prank”
When publicist Bonnie Meslane asked Jonathan 'Ziyon' Hamilton and Thabo 'Ryzor' Shokgolo which local women they were listening to for Women’s Month in August, little did the gents know that a few days later they would be swapping their music careers for a day of being waiters.
The journalists in attendance also found out the truth upon arriving at the venue.
They too remained none the wiser until Bonnie clarified the surprise because when one works in the media and entertainment space, there’s no reason to be suspicious when you find yourself breathing the same air as Bucie (Busisiwe Nqwiliso), Sio (Shiobhan King) and Lia Butler (Nombulelo Mzobe).
Wanda Baloyi was also present, as were AzureDé and Jamali, who arrived a bit later due to other commitments.
When the shock wore off, Liquideep eagerly greeted everyone with either a hug or a handshake depending on where they were seated, but either way, the personal touch was heartfelt.
Multi-award-winning songstress Bucie, whose vocals amplified Black Coffee’s Superman, was in an even larger pool of disbelief. "May I please take a pic of you together? I want to show everyone who my waiters are," she said.
She even renamed me Bukeka (Beautiful) as I was the only Zulu thorn among Xhosa roses at my table.
The experience unpacked
What unfolded was a beautifully crafted dining experience with Liquideep running around between tables, graciously pouring drinks for their guests and being careful not to break any plates as it was their first day on the job. They were so dedicated that they even had notebooks in hand to ensure they didn’t mess up any orders.
I discovered this at a later interview when the gents shared how nervous they had been, since neither of them had ever worked as waiters before.
The guests were just as natural, with a few moments of being difficult as restaurant patrons can sometimes be, moments of laughter and even intense conversations, because good food accompanied by good music will sometimes invoke wisdom.
Bucie pointed out something that I equally appreciate about being part of the media and entertainment space - the opportunity to give our daughters the experiences that we never had as kids, especially given the prevalence of predatory culture in society where less privileged young women are preyed upon by older men with the promise of a “soft life.”
"I left the industry for my kids and came back for them. Nothing will make you want to do better than having a girl child. When she says my mom is a superstar, she must say it without hesitation,” she said.
"She's playing my song" started echoing through the speakers, making the moment feel even more real.
Ryzor later said about the music, “It felt so nice to hear Liquideep in the background because it made me feel like other people are enjoying it and it helps put them in a better mood.”
Ziyon agreed, saying he also enjoyed hearing this random band’s music so much that he wondered, “Who are these guys?”
The organiser speaks
Asked what her intentions were when she curated the event, Bonnie explained that she’s always had a keen interest in exploring new and exciting ways to get exposure for the brands she works with.
“I love working with Liquideep; we share the same values and have a great relationship. I know what will excite them and add value to their brand,” said Bonnie.
She described Liquideep as strong admirers of South African music who are always seeking to uplift others. Celebrating women musicians in this manner with this particular band was therefore a perfect fit.
An important lesson to deduce from this is the importance of relationships, as Bonnie explained that the duo didn’t ask any questions but readily responded when asked for a list of their favourite musicians. The restaurant also agreed to partner with her without any hesitation.
“It was great seeing them interact not only with the artists but with deep appreciation for the media in attendance; these are people who have interviewed them. This strengthens relationships between the artists and the media and also builds trust.”
The only difficulty was keeping the gents away from the restaurant as they are habitual early comers, which meant Bonnie had to find creative ways to delay their arrival.
By the end of the event, the media guests were advocating for a collaboration between Liquideep and their favourite artists, which the musicians sounded open to. Ziyon and Ryzor said they enjoyed the experience and wouldn’t mind an encore.
For Bonnie, a Liquideep collaboration album with all the ladies who were present and even the ones who were on the list but unable to make the event, would be the ultimate cherry on top.
“Liquideep turns 20 next year; you never know, something bigger might just happen,” she concluded.
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