BIOGRAPHY

Lorraine Klaasen, the daughter of legendary South African Jazz singer Tandie Klaasen, is one of the few South African artists who have preserved the classic sound of Township music, which continues to be the most distinctive sound to come out of South Africa. Born and raised in Soweto, South Africa, Lorraine has electrified audiences worldwide with her dynamic stage presence and showmanship.

Lorraine was influenced by South Africa’s musical giants of the 1950’s and 1960’s, such as Miriam Makeba, Dolly Rathebe, Dorothy Masuka, Sophie Mgcina and Busi Mhlongo who frequented her mother’s home. Lorraine’s musical career started at an early age in the 1970’s when she would accompany her mother to live performances all over Southern Africa including the neighboring states of Mozambique and Swaziland. It wasn’t long after that she branched out on her own and got into musical theater which took her across Europe and eventually ended up in Montreal, Canada where she has been living for over two decades.

In Montreal, Lorraine Klaasen has embraced the rich musical cultures of Quebec, French speaking Africa, Haiti and the rest of the Caribbean whose musicians she has collaborated with on her successful tours of Europe, North America and the Caribbean. In the late 1980’s and throughout the 1990’s, Lorraine recorded several albums which included two popular songs titled “Bayasilandela” and Kudala ndikulindile”. Both songs were in the Zulu language of South Africa. A singer, songwriter, dancer and choreographer, Lorraine Klaasen sings in several languages including Zulu, Sotho, Xhosa, Lingala, English and French.

In October 2007, Lorraine signed a new recording contract with Justin Time Records which resulted in the production of the highly charged album titled “AFRICA CALLING”. Through working with South African record producer Mongezi Chris Ntaka, who was lead guitarist and music director for Lucky Dube for ten years, Lorraine has accomplished her childhood dreams of taking Township music to the rest of the world and making a truly African record that touches every heart & soul that beats the world over. “AFRICA CALLING” takes over from where other global heavyweight musical giants have left off. From the Township music guitar driven and brain twisting bass lines on “Jabulani” to the trance and spirit inducing “Imbizo”, Lorraine Klaasen puts the musical world on notice that the African queen is right on point and this time around Africa is in charge of its rhythm roots, hence the title “AFRICA CALLING”.