Yesterday, I woke up to sad news that a close friend of my family and someone I grew up calling Grandma past away.
Miriam Makeba is best known as a musical icon and the voice of anti-apartheid South Africa.
It's hard for me to give justice to her story for you here because it is so vast and incredible. But her nickname is Mama Africa, which helps put into context how significant her contribution to music is.
My mother toured with her as a backing vocalist for many years and I followed them on tour during the school holiday. An experience I cherish in my life that has impacted me profoundly as a woman and a musician.
The last time I was with her was at her home in Johannesburg. She told me she was proud of the work I was doing and said, "I want Sarah to remember me". She said she had videos and stories from her career, she thought I'd benefit from.
I regret I didn't get the chance to do that with her.
Both her life and musical career are awe-inspiring to me.
Her career spans six decades and she is the first African ever to win a Grammy Award. In the 70's, her music was banned under the apartheid regime and she was exiled from South Africa for 30 years. She is a Doctor, an Ambassador and a Peace Prize winner. Not only was she one of the performers at the 'Rumble in the Jungle' match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, but has also performed for the likes of the Emperor Haile Selassie, JFK, Fidel Castro and the Pope. And that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of her life's achievements.
I am honoured to have had her as part of my life and will always remember a beautiful voice and a strong, regal, charismatic woman who I admire greatly.
She has left a permanent imprint on my life and will be loved and remembered all around the world.
I thank you for everything x
If you would like to know more about Miriam Makeba, you can start
here.