[imagesource:facebook/@xabiso.vili]

You’ve heard of musician rock stars, but get ready for Xabiso Vili, the touring SA poet spreading his talent across the globe with an impressive span of live gigs.

The South African poet recently won the 2022 World Slam Poetry Competition in Brussels last year, defeating 40 other poets from around the world, and he’s now set to share his talent with audiences across Europe.

Vili’s journey from South Africa to becoming a world champion poet has been nothing short of remarkable. When he shared his performance itinerary on social media, the response was overwhelming, with over 60 shares and more than 400 reactions from local supporters and admirers.

Reflecting on the outpouring of love and support, Vili expressed his gratitude, saying, “The love and support shown for me has always touched me and moved me, something that I occasionally feel unworthy of but really something I completely embrace.”

Vili’s upcoming performances will take him to various European countries, but before that, he’s returning to South Africa to share his poetry in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Harare. Mr Worldwide!

Speaking about the transformation in his life since winning the world championship title, Vili acknowledges that while many things have changed, some have remained the same.

“It’s like a different playing field, my emails are filled with clients I’ve always dreamed of and having the capacity to say no to certain clients.”

Vili is not just an accomplished poet but also an award-winning performer, new media artist, producer, digital strategist, and social activist. His impact on the poetry community in South Africa is significant, and local organisations like Hear My Voice, Poetry Africa, and Word N Sound, have supported the young artist in finessing his craft.

Hear My Voice supported Vili’s second international tour after he won their Tshwane Speak Out Loud slam in 2016. His current European tour is also backed by Hear My Voice’s Mobility Fund, which assists artists with travel expenses.

South Africa’s poetry scene is unique and thriving. Vili has acknowledged that there’s room for improvement when it comes to supporting SA poets but also proudly recognises that the quality of our country’s poetry surpasses global standards.

“The work that South Africa produces is beyond a global scale … the innovation here is so immense. The writing capacity, the performance capacity – the way in which poets in South Africa use the art form, from plays to films.”

We couldn’t agree more!

While Vili won’t be holding a dedicated gig in Cape Town, he’ll be supporting fellow poets at the Open Book Festival this weekend. If you’re as much of a fangirl as me, get your tickets now to avoid missing out on seeing SA’s poetry champ in the flesh.

With a history of ongoing violence in South Africa, Vili’s words cut deep with equal parts pain and hope.

It’s time, we pull ourselves apart
and build a temple from our hearts
that doesn’t have murderer etched into our blood.

May these words from Vili’s piece A Love Poem, Because give you a boost of South African pride and resilience to carry you through to the weekend.

[source:thecitizen]