SA’s Pop Idols runner-up to perform at Moon-Rock Festival

With one month and a half to go before the launch of Moon-Rock Festival, entertainment goers need not to speculate as to which international artists and bands will comprise this year’s list.

Already, one of the artists from South Africa has been unveiled. He is Mark Haze, a finalist in last year’s South African Pop Idols competition.

Tourism promoter Wilderness Safaris Malawi has organised the musical fête between October 12 and October 15 2012. Moon-Rock will accord hordes of local and international travellers, who will converge at Chintheche Inn in Nkhata Bay, the platform for a music and entertainment fiesta.

Haze becomes the first international artist to perform at the pending festival, which is likely to contribute to tourism attraction to Lake Malawi as was the case with Lake of Stars.

The Lake of Stars event also attracted thousands of people made up of musical and other performers locally and internationally plus party-goers from all walks of life.

But little is known as to who Haze is, unless of course if one is a DStv customer, who watches South African Pop Idols.

Haze is SA’s Idols 7 runner-up after Dave Van Vuuren won the TV show. Just two months after wrapping up the popular TV show, Haze signed a recording agreement with Universal Music Group.

In his own words he says: “I’ve always dreamed of being a musician and performing in front of thousands, recording songs and having them played on radios and televisions all over the world, travelling to different places to play my music to different people … I am finally living that dream.”

Organisers say Malawi will enjoy his performance just like those of other international bands and artists. Warren Baty, Wilderness Safaris Malawi’s operations manager, said Haze has grown up doing music in his life and he remains one of the good artists in South Africa.

“Haze started singing at the age of four in church and at seven, he enrolled for piano lessons. In 2001, Haze started a band, the 12th Avenue, which recorded four albums before disbanding due to several reasons. So people can notice he lived, breathed music,” said Baty.

He added that they have an impressive and ever-growing list of great musicians at the Moon-Rock festival. “The other artists will be known few weeks before the festival,” said Baty.