Rouge will finally be releasing her long awaited debut album “The New Era Sessions,” next month (September 8) via David Gresham Records. The album will include guest appearances from Bigstar, Moozlie, Shasha and K-LY.
With about two weeks remaining before the arrival of the project, she decides to treat her fans to a new trap influenced single titled “Déjà Vu.” The song produced by Ron Epidemic comes with an accompanying dance video directed by Rati Mofokeng.
“As soon as I wrote the song, I knew that I wanted to do something different,” Rouge says via a press release. “While many videos in South Africa have a dance component, audiences have never been exposed to a locally produced hip hop only dance video. I knew that if I wanted to get this right, I had to partner up with Rudi and his team, Untimitive.”
“Déjà Vu” video released in collaboration with Cape Town based choreographer, Rudi Smit — was shot in an abandoned warehouse and it features a co-ed hip hop dance crew.
“We wanted to push boundaries and break down the ‘scantily dressed female lead’ music video stereotype,” she comments. “These dancers are passionate about the essence of the song and embody empowerment, strength and determination.”
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Fans of the talented singer will be able to watch her perform the new single live for the first time at her album launch on Friday, September 8, – a moment she says she “cannot wait to see.”
“Everything I do is for my fans – I cannot wait to see how they connect with the song on stage,” she says. “It’s been a long journey to get here, but the support from my fan base has truly kept me motivated to produce something that not only captures my unique story, but also gives them a platform and a voice to tell theirs. Life experiences are different for everyone; it is my hope that this album speaks to listeners on a personal level, giving them something they can fully relate to and be inspired by.”
To cap it all off, the multi-lingual rapper will be releasing a short film based on the album. The film will feature SA stars Atandwa & Fikile Kani, Denise Zimba and Cassius Davids. The movie will premiere on MTV on the 7th of September. You can watch a trailer for the film below.
“The New Era sessions” will include previously released singles No Strings and her breakout hit Mbongo Zaka featuring Moozlie. The album is available for pre-order now on ITunes.
“We have certainly reached a new era in hip hop music,” adds Rouge. “We need a new generation to step forward and let their ideas and opinions be heard through music, a universal language for the youth. Up and coming female rappers in the South African music industry are in an optimal position to facilitate this renaissance; showcasing the strength of their creativity, artistry and social commentary to positively impact society.”
