While South Africans have spent the first part of this year worrying about the economy, petrol, etolls and the impending chilly weather, SA born band, Kongos, have been making a serious mark in America. Who knew?
The band recently had their breakthrough single, Come With Me Now, certified gold in the US, an achievement given to artists and singles who sell over half a million records.
But this milestone achievement is only the most recent of a wave of success for the band, who have seen the single feature in a string of high-profile television placements including American Idol, FX, CNN, NBC Sports, ESPN, NFL, WWE, Playstation 4 and more. Because of these placements the single was crowned "one of the most synced songs of the year”, an accomplishment normally reserved for rock legends The Black Keys.
The song clinched the #1 spot on US Alternative Radio for five weeks, where they enjoyed the quickest ascent to the top of the chart by a new band ever. The track has also reached number one in Colombia and featured on BBC1 in the UK recently.
The new fame the single has brought has seen the Kongos make their US TV debut on The Late Night With Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel Live shows. The band will also play over 140 shows this year, supporting Kings of Leon and One Republic on their US and European tours, as well as several high profile festivals, including Lollapalooza, Sasquatch and Firefly.
Although a lot of us South Africans love the band already, it sure is awesome to see the US giving Danny and the boys some love.
Represent!