/ 8 August 1997

A life in headlines

* “Bubbly Fassie Proves We Can Take on the World” -City Press headline, 1988

* “The Wedding of the Decade -SAPop Queen Finds the Love of Her Life” -City Press, 1988

* “Triple Platinum on Latest Album” (the album: Too Late for Mama)-City Press, 1989

* “Brenda’s New Hubby Floors Her After Tiff” – Sunday Times, 1990

* “Songstress Gets Snubbed at Mandela home” – City Press, 1990

* “Brenda Bounces Back” – Sowetan, 1990

* 1991: Fassie tells a Cosmopolitan magazine writer that she’s too good to be in the middle of the magazine: “I belong on the front because I am the best. Musically, sexually, I’m the best.”

* Mini-riot ensues at Mmabatho show when Brenda is pulled off the stage by her manager after a tiff with promoter over payment

* “Bedroom Bliss the Brenda Fassie Way”- Sunday Times, 1991

* “Weeping Brenda Fined for Assault” – Sowetan, 1992 . (During the trial Fassie raised laughter when she sang “I am not a bad girl” into a court microphone.)

* “Brenda Bares All”- City Press, 1992

* “Fassie Blamed for Riots” (at a concert)- Sowetan, 1993 (“After my performance no body wants to take the stage, because I am the ultimate entertainer.”)

* “Brenda Not to Blame -Show Promoter Admits He Took Brenda for a Ride” -Sowetan, 1993

* “The tragic death of a fan at a music festival has once again highlighted chart buster Brenda Fassie’s failure to arrive at concerts she’s booked for.” – City Press, 1993

* “Our ink has run dry from writing about the misguided and arrogant pop star Brenda Fassie -she has no respect for people who made her a superstar … but doubling and trebling of performances by management is also to blame … People like Brenda have always landed right in the gutter – and I have this gut feeling that she’s on the way to staying down there … She can still make amends.” – Sowetan comment, 1993

* “I’m Clean, Says Angry Brenda” -Sowetan 1993 (Fassie was arrested for not paying debts.)

* “Sex, Drugs and Brenda”-Tribute magazine cover story, 1994

* “Stone Broke Brenda Hits the Low Road”- City Press, 1994

* “Brenda’s Back and She’s Beaten Drugs”- Sunday Times, 1994

* “I’m moving out of hell … I am a changed person. Tell all my fans and friends that I am sorry I let them down. Tell them I will be back, stronger …a better Brenda. – Sowetan, 1994

* “Pop Star Lay Sleeping as Lover Died”- City Press, 1995

* “Brenda Hit by Cupid’s Love-Arrow”-City Press, 1995

* “I Want to Die, Says Brenda Fassie” – Sunday Times, 1996

* “`IDid Not Try to Commit Suicide'” – Sowetan, 1996

* “Brenda Goes Bust” -Sunday Times, 1997

(Her goods were to be auctioned to pay debts, but her record company later bailed her out.)