South African Soul Icon Claire Phillips Releases Powerful New Single, ‘Amongst the Stars’
Photo: Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
As of November 2026, “Amongst the Stars” is listed on Apple Music as a 2023 single by Claire Phillips. It sits in her catalogue next to 2020 tracks such as “Little Things” and “Baby Tonight”. Since the release, the Belhar-born singer has kept performing in the Western Cape. She played the Knorhoek Sunset Concert Series on 30 March 2024 and was named in the local line-up for Soul Sisters 2025, held on 27 September 2025 at GrandWest’s Grand Arena with Judy Boucher and Robin S as headliners. In October 2025 she told EWN that surviving homelessness “is something that shaped me”.
Claire Phillips returns with “Amongst the Stars”
When “Amongst the Stars” came out in 2023, promoters billed Claire Phillips as the queen of South African soul and said she was back to reclaim her throne.
The release announcement said she had just finished a tour of Europe and was coming home to win over new listeners.
“Amongst the Stars” is a sultry soul song that blends jazz, funk and soul, the mix that defines her sound. It celebrates love, life and womanhood. Her raw, raspy voice moves between high and low notes and carries most of the song’s emotional weight.
The announcement said Phillips wrote, produced and performed the single herself. That fits her wider profile: Cape Town profiles describe her as a songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist as well as a vocalist. Layers of keys, horns and percussion build towards the ending and give the song a classic, Motown-style feel.
The old text called the release a “new album”, but it was a single. Its message is about courage and self-belief, and it reads as a personal statement about loving and valuing yourself.
Phillips has moved between soul, R&B and jazz throughout her career, and her uplifting songs have built a loyal following. In a message to fans at release, she thanked them for their patience and support: “I’m giving you this song as a present. I sincerely hope you like listening to it as much as I did.”
How the release was promoted in 2023
To mark the single, Phillips asked fans to follow her on social media. She promised behind-the-scenes videos and live performances there. That launch campaign has ended.
The original announcement closed by promising that “Amongst the Stars” would revive South African soul. The song was later followed by more live dates in and around Cape Town, listed below.
Who is Claire Phillips?
Claire Phillips is a Cape Town soul, R&B and jazz singer from Belhar. She made her name with her debut album, Say My Name, which she produced with Patrick “Caramel” Hickey.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2006 | Releases debut album Say My Name |
| 2007 | Say My Name wins the South African Music Award (SAMA) for Best R&B/Soul Album |
| 2012 | Second album, By Request, earns a SAMA nomination |
| 2020 | Releases her first music video, which tells her own story of abuse; “Little Things” and “Baby Tonight” come out the same year |
| 2023 | Releases “Amongst the Stars” as a single |
| 2024 | Headlines a Knorhoek Sunset Concert Series show on 30 March |
| 2025 | Named in the local line-up for Soul Sisters 2025 at GrandWest, 27 September |
| 2025 | Talks to EWN in October about surviving homelessness |
Over the years she has also shared stages with international artists, including Dianne Reeves and Eddy Grant.
FAQ
When was “Amongst the Stars” by Claire Phillips released?
It came out in 2023 as a standalone single, and Apple Music lists it as “Amongst the Stars, Single”. The release announcement said Phillips wrote, produced and performed it herself.
Is “Amongst the Stars” part of an album?
No. It was released as a single, even though early coverage called it a “new album”. On streaming services it sits beside her other singles, such as “Little Things” and “Baby Tonight” from 2020.
Has Claire Phillips won a South African Music Award?
Yes. Her debut album, Say My Name, released in 2006, won the SAMA for Best R&B/Soul Album in 2007. Her second album, By Request (2012), was also nominated for a SAMA.
Where is Claire Phillips from?
She grew up in Belhar, Cape Town, and is still based in the city. Profiles describe her as a singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist whose sound blends soul, R&B and jazz.
Where has Claire Phillips performed recently?
She headlined a Knorhoek Sunset Concert Series show on 30 March 2024. She was also named in the local line-up for Soul Sisters 2025 at GrandWest’s Grand Arena on 27 September 2025, a show headlined by Judy Boucher and Robin S. Pre-show coverage named Karin Kortje and Vicky Sampson among the other Cape Town singers.
What has Claire Phillips said about her life outside music?
In October 2025 she told EWN about surviving homelessness and said the experience shaped her. In 2020 she released her first music video, which drew on her own experience of abuse to support survivors of gender-based violence.
Sources
- Claire Phillips on Apple Music
- Claire Phillips, Music In Africa directory
- Claire Phillips, HDS Entertainment
- Singer Claire Phillips reflects on surviving homelessness, EWN
- Judy Boucher and Robin S to perform at Soul Sisters 2025 concert, Bolander Lifestyle
- Knorhoek Sunset Concert Series: Claire Phillips Live, Quicket
- Claire Phillips has new music video to help abuse victims, Daily Voice
- SAMA winner to play it again, IOL
About this article
- Fact-checked before publication.
- Published · Updated
