Showtime Australia artist and Port Elizabeth-born international superstar, Belinda Davids, was thrilled to receive the International Special Recognition Award at the UK’s National Tribute Music Awards held in Droitwich last week.
Famed for her marquee role in the hit show The Greatest Love of All: A Tribute to Whitney Houston, which has been storming the world’s stages of late, Davids took home the accolade in acknowledgement of her “global contribution to tribute performing” and “ground-breaking influence on the music industry”.
After winning BBC TV’s Even Better Than The Real Thing musical contest in 2017, Davids has been mesmerized by the UK audiences’ support for her and the world-class tribute show over the years.
South African-born Davids was ecstatic to receive such recognition in arguably one of the world’s most competitive entertainment markets.
“I feel honoured to have had my life’s work and my craft recognized, especially here in the UK. As an artist, there’s nothing more rewarding than knowing that you affect people, that you make a difference in people’s lives, in whatever way that is,” said Davids.
In addition to receiving her award, Davids performed three Whitney Houston tracks for the televised red-carpet event which took place at the stately Chateau Impney in Worcestershire on 3 July 2019.
In addition to be awarded this prestigious honour, The Greatest Love of All: A Tribute to Whitney Houston starring Belinda Davids has announced its return South Africa later this year.
The Greatest Love of All: A Tribute to Whitney Houston starring Belinda Davids has announced its return South Africa later this year.
This globally-successful production is set host a series of special orchestral concerts at Artscape Opera House in Cape Town, from 20 November to 1 December 2019.
Davids is ecstatic to return home to perform for The Mother City audiences in November, accompanied by an orchestra for the very first time in South Africa.
“This will be the only series of concerts I will get to perform in South Africa this year, so I am really looking forward to it. It’s always great to be on stage at home in SA and share my love for singing with my people. The show’s production team and I are working on delivering an amazing orchestra performance that will definitely be one for the memory books,” shares Davids.
The Greatest Love of All: A Tribute to Whitney Houston starring Belinda Davids will also perform a series ofspecial orchestral concerts at The Mandela at Joburg Civic theatre from 5 to 28 June 2020.
Tickets are available now via the theatre box offices for these South African performances or by visitingwww.thegreatestloveofallshow.com. Cape Town audiences can also purchase tickets via Computicket at either www.computicket.com or via Checkers and Shoprite retail stores, countrywide.
MORE ABOUT BELINDA DAVIDS
South African songstress Belinda Davids was born in Port Elizabeth, and began performing professionally at the age of 14. She has never had vocal training and is blessed with a four-octave vocal range, which allows her to sing any genre. Belinda’s inspirations as a child were Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, Chaka Khan, Donny Hathaway, Michael Jackson and the one artist she honours in every show is Whitney Houston.
For Davids, starring in The Greatest Love of All: The Whitney Houston Show is the culmination of a life-long connection with the superstar to whom she pays homage. In respect for Houston’s legacy, Showtime Management dedicated over 12 months to creating the show, first to finding the perfect star, and then to perfecting the production. It took over 15 000 auditions in 12 countries to find the right voice, and finally our very own South African Belinda Davids emerged as the front-runner in 2013.
Exposed mainly to R&B and gospel as a child, Davids was innately drawn to Houston’s musical style, and paid homage to her idol through her dress and hairstyle and by including Houston songs in almost all her live shows.
The ultimate realization of Davids’ affinity with Houston occurred during a show in Hong Kong. Following a recital of ‘I Will Always Love You’, the audience was so astounded by her performance that they demanded she sing acapella to prove she wasn’t lip-syncing to a Houston track.
Davids was bolted into further global stardom with her jaw-dropping performance at the Apollo Theatre in 2017, which captivated US radio and TV personality Steve Harvey on stage, has been viewed over 10 million times on Facebook to date – cementing Davids as a true global musical icon.