Kimmy Skota Emerging Superstar
Kimmy Won An Entire Career
And ALL of Our Hearts
This talented opera singer is living her dream, travelling and singing around the world.
She sounds like an angel on stage and is shy off stage, but everything about Nokrismesi “Kimmy” Skota shouts superstar.
This talented soprano from Dordrecht in the Eastern Cape was at Sun City last weekend with the Andre Rieu orchestra. The audience loved her beautiful voice so much they gave her a standing ovation.
Little did they know that the woman with the magical musical notes never really wanted to be an opera singer. She wanted to travel and have a career in tourism. Unluckily for her, but definitely luckily for us, financial constraints put the kibosh on that.
Fate is a funny thing. Her cousin entered her in a singing competition in the hope that she would win a bursary. She won a lot more than that. She won an entire career.
“There was no money at home for me to study, but my cousin entered me in a show where I had to sing. I had no experience and I thought I would never make it. “I knew if I won I would get a bursary to study classical music. To be honest, I went there simply to take a chance. I never thought I would win,” said Kimmy.
Surprise, surprise. She and another entrant were chosen to study for a classical music degree at the University of Cape Town, to be trained by associate professor in singing at the College of Music at UCT, Virginia Davids.
Even though her parents were not happy about her studying music, Kimmy started at the university and fell in love with singing.
Since then, the 32 year old has won several awards such as the prestigious Samro International Singing competition in August 2008, and has sung in several operas, including Carmen and Cosi fan Tutte.
Among the roles she has sung is Papagena in William Kentridge’s The Magic Flute, and Gilda in Rigoletto.
She is now on a well-earned two-week break and visiting home before jetting off with Rieu to Australia and New Zealand where the orchestra performs next.
“In a wonderful way I ended up getting exactly what I wanted. I am travelling everywhere, with singing as an added bonus,” she said.
article by: Gabisile Ndebele
Categories: JSO Choir - Orchestra, South Africa, Articles-Interviews
It would have been a shame to waste that beautiful voice. A bird just has to sing!Dear lady we wish you a wonderful career.
What a lovely interview Andre' knows how to pick His singers, I have liked all who are on His Dvds, but when you look at Carmen Mirusia & Kimmi, they seem to complement each other ,all different but so talented, I love to watch the interaction each of them Have with Himself, its a joy to watch & listen to them;
Please could someone tell me what has happened to Carmen and Carla, the sopranos in most of Andre's DVD's? They did not appear with him in South Africa last year or this year, so presumably, Kimi and Miruisha are now the only sopranos?
Congratulations Kimmy.You are an extremely talented singer. When you sing the lullaby, Ave Maria,this is my African Dream my emotional response is tears, beautiful diamond. you are special
I do not know how they get the dvd so quickly in Suriname but it was a real pleasure. I saw it last sunday on tv. Even if you don't know much of classical music your true soul is telling you that this is marvelous. Thank you Andre and all the others it was very beautiful. I think that it is time to learn how to dance waltz.