The album features a studio recording of "Love Is", a ballad written exclusively for Houston by Carvin Winans. The ballad is from a 1990 recording session produced by Houston and Nat Adderley Jr. The album also includes a remixed version of the song by Winans.[3] Upon its release, the song became a hit on several UK singles charts.
Throughout Houston's early years of her career, she openly rejected offers by companies in South Africa due to the country's strict apartheid laws and supported the anti-apartheid movement during the 1980s.[4]
Twenty months after the concert, on February 11, 1990, Mandela was paroled after spending 27 years in prison.[7] In March 1994, apartheid was abolished in the country, which was subsequently followed by Mandela winning the South African presidential election, making Mandela the first black President of the country.[8]
During Houston's world tour to support her hit soundtrack to The Bodyguard, it was announced that September that Houston would headline three shows in South Africa that November, which made her the first artist to headline a solo concert tour there following the end of apartheid. On October 4, 1994, Houston gave a performance at the White House during a state dinner for Mandela at the Rose Garden.[9]
Houston arrived to Pretoria in early November 1994 where she was greeted by a mob of South African fans. During her visit in Pretoria, she met up with Mandela. While in Johannesburg on November 4, Houston was serenaded in song by a children's choir and subsequently announced that she would donate all concert proceeds from the three shows to several children's charities including two children's museums, the President's Trust Fund (for President Mandela), the Kasigo Trust and several orphanages.[10]
During her preparation for the South African concert dates, Houston had decided on having one of the shows, at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, be taped live on HBO. It was decided by Houston and Marty Callner that the November 8 show at Durban's Kings Park Stadium to be taped as a test run for the Johannesburg show.
Houston decided to alter the set list she used throughout the tour. She arrived onstage at Kings Park Stadium to Stevie Wonder's "Love's in Need of Love Today" from Songs in the Key of Life. Later on in the show, Houston covered another song by Wonder, the 1980 hit "Master Blaster (Jammin')". To keep up with the celebratory mood, Houston added a cover of Earth, Wind and Fire's "Touch the World", from the band's 1987 album of the same name. The performance featured a choir led by Houston's mother, singer and longtime choir director Cissy.
During the gospel portion of the show, Houston performed her Bodyguard hit, "Jesus Loves Me", along with "Amazing Grace", in which she participated in an impromptu duet with her saxophonist Kirk Whalum, who performed the song with his sax solo to the delight of the audience and of Houston.
During her second and final encore of the concert, Houston covered "Home", which marked the first time she performed the song since her national television debut on The Merv Griffin Show in June 1983.
It would also be at the concert where Houston performed Carvin Winans' original composition "Love Is", which Houston had recorded for the I'm Your Baby Tonight album in 1990.
The entire show was produced by Houston, Rickey Minor and Callner.
Chart performance
The album made several chart appearances in the United Kingdom, peaking at number 16 on OCC Albums Downloads chart, number 56 on its Albums Sales chart and number 77 on its Physical Sales chart. The album appeared on the official album charts in Belgium, France and Portugal.
The sole studio version of "Love Is", which was mostly played in the United Kingdom, also made the charts in the UK, peaking at number 21 on the OCC Vinyl Singles chart and number 25 on the OCC Physical Singles chart, for the week of December 12, 2024.[11][12]
Track listing
The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban) track listing – vinyl edition[13]
↑Ormond, Roger (February 12, 1990). "Mandela free after 27 years". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on February 14, 2013. Retrieved October 28, 2008.
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