When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, large-scale gatherings were effectively banned, and music events of all sizes ground to a halt. In the rush to find alternatives, online streaming emerged as the cost-efficient, safety-conscious solution: hop on Instagram Live and broadcast a performance to the masses sitting at home, with little else to do but escape the plague. The logical next step was the emergence of streaming-centric business models, which, in turn, raised demand for photographers and videographers. Platforms like Verzuz created a trickle-down effect that inspired grant-making organizations across the continent, such as Music In <a href="https://absafricatv.com/south-africa-eyes-46-billion-for-industrial-hubs-by-april/” title=”South Africa Eyes $46 Billion for Industrial Hubs by April”>Africa, to support concepts that could be scaled and presented to audiences with time on their hands.
In the midst of the global health shock, Lerato Pakade tweeted that she’d decided to become a photographer. That was in 2022, and she revisits the moment during a conversation with OkayAfrica. “It was at [a Bitches Brew show] at Leano restaurant,” she recalls. Bitches Brew was a trio consisting of Zoë Modiga, Titi Luzipo, and Spha Mdlalose; the venue, located in Johannesburg’s Braamfontein precinct, is now called Jozi Gold.
