WATCH Vicky Sampson’s My Afrikan Dream, Still Gives South Africans Goosebumps

Vicky Sampson’s ‘My Afrikan Dream’ – from her multi-award winning Zai album – is still giving South Africans goosebumps over 25 years since it was first released in November 1995. In 2005, it was nominated for Song of the Decade Award… but it’s long outlasted that timeframe. My Afrikan Dream is an epic masterpiece, a song so big and so deep, it touches the core of South Africans everywhere… and the words are as relevant today, if not more so…  (see lyrics below).

“It gives me goosebumps every time I hear this song,” says SAPeople contributor Canita Domingo, in the Western Cape. “This is why many of us remain here.” Meanwhile, far away in the USA, an expat wrote on YouTube: “I am sitting here in my bed, in Florida USA and weeping because of this song at 1am. I have been gone from South Africa for 15 years and feel this deep emptiness in my being. I love the USA but my heart belongs in Africa…”

WATCH VIDEO Vicky Sampson: My Afrikan Dream

Vicky performed the song at the opening and closing ceremonies of the African Cup of Nations Football Competition, held in South Africa in 1996 (and won by Bafana Bafana). In the same year, the album (Zai) won four SAMAs including Best Pop album, Best Video, Best Female Artist and Best Director according to SAHistory.

The song My Afrikan Dream has since been covered by many others – including André Rieu & Kimmy Skota who performed it live in SA in 2010. The cover, which appears on his DVD André Rieu – My African Dream has been viewed over 2 million times on YouTube.

WATCH VIDEO André Rieu – My African Dream (Live in South Africa)

Last year the Ndlovu Youth Choir brought the house down when they auditioned with their rendition of ‘African Dreams’ on the world stage at America’s Got Talent

WATCH The Ndlovu Youth Choir: Bring “African Dreams” To America! | America’s Got Talent 2019

Afrikan Dream Lyrics – performed by Vicky Sampson

Sometimes alone in the evening
I look outside my window
Shadows in the night
I hear the sound of distant crying
The darkness multiplying
The weary hearts denied
All I feel is my heart beat
Beating like a drum
Beating with confusion
All I hear are the voices
Telling me to go
But I can never run

‘Cos in my Afrikan Dream
There’s a new tomorrow
My Afrikan dream
Is a dream that we can follow

Now when the night begins to fall
I listen for your call
I listen for your heartbeat
Alone, my dream is just a dream
Another false illusion
A shadow in the night
All I want is for our heartbeat
To beat just as one
To silence that confusion
And the pain and the illusion
Will disappear again
And we will never run

‘Cos in my Afrikan Dream
There’s a new tomorrow
My Afrikan dream
Is a dream that we can follow

And though it may seem
(helele helele mama)
My hope is an illusion
(helele helele mama)
My Afrikan dream
(helele helele mama)
Brings an end to the confusion

Mawethu we Afrika
Nin’ekusasa elihle
Igugu leAfrika
Sizolilandela ma Afrika (This is my Afrikan dream)
Siyayibona inhlanzi (Let us sing in one harmony)
Ukukhanya kwentokozo
Igugulethu leAfrika
Ukuphela kwenkinga zonke

Mawethu we Afrika
Nin’ekusasa elihle
Igugu leAfrika
Sizolilandela ma Afrika (Sizokulandela ma Afrika)
Siyayibona inhlanzi (Siyayibona Siyayibona)
Ukukhanya kwentokozo
Igugulethu leAfrika
Ukuphela kwenkinga zonke

Watch former President Thabo Mbeki: I Am An Africa