>> ERIC: IF YOU'RE A LOCAL MUSIC FAN AND A TWIN CITIES VIEWER, MAKE SURE TO STICK AROUND ON FRIDAY NIGHT RIGHT AFTER "ALMANAC" FOR THE SEASON PREMIERE OF "STAGE."

THIS YEAR, THE TWIN CITIES PBS MUSIC SERIES EXPLORES COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN WELL-KNOWN LOCAL MUSICIANS AND LESSER KNOWN ARTISTS THEY WANT YOU TO KNOW MORE ABOUT.

TONIGHT'S BROADCAST PREMIERE FEATURES RAPPER DESSA AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN AND MINNESOTA-BASED ENSEMBLE "29:11."

"BACKSTAGE," A DIGITAL COMPANION FOR EACH EPISODE WILL PREMIERE ON YOUTUBE ON TUESDAYS.

HERE'S A SNEAK PEAK OF NEXT TUESDAY'S "BACKSTAGE" EPISODE WITH DESSA AND 29:11.

>> IT SOUNDS LIKE, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT A RAPPER AND A SOUTH AFRICAN -- BUT I DON'T THINK IN PRACTICE IT'S THAT WEIRD.

♪♪ >> YEARS AGO, I WAS ON TOUR WITH THE MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA IN SOUTH AFRICA.

AND ON ONE OF THE STOPS, I GOT TO SEE THE SINGERS IN A REALLY HUMBLE ENVIRONMENT.

IT WAS LIKE A CONFERENCE ROOM.

♪♪ >> WATCHING THEM SING SET MY BLOOD PUMPING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION FOR A MOMENT.

AND THEY WERE PART OF A CHOIR I LATER FOUND OUT IS CALLED 239:11: OH, WOW.

SHE SEPTEMBER THIS ON HER PHONE.

[Laughter] >> WHAT?

>> THAT IS COOL.

♪♪ OUR CHORUS, THAT'S 11 DIFFERENT TRIBES, IN SOUTH AFRICA, THAT IS NOT HEARD OF.

WE DECIDED IF WE SPREAD THE MESSAGE OF RECONCILIATION, IT SHOULD BE ALL CULTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA.

♪♪ >> APARTHEID SIMPLY MEANS, IN ENGLISH, A TIME APART, SEGREGATED.

THAT'S WHAT THE GOVERNMENT DID BACK THEN.

TO PEOPLE OF COLOR, TO BLACK PEOPLE, AND SO MY DAD'S FAMILY WAS SPLIT UP.

HE NEVER SAW HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS BECAUSE HE WAS LIGHT-SKINNED.

AND HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS WAS DARK-SKINNED.

BLACK BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THEY SPLIT.

♪♪ >> OKAY, GET IT TOGETHER.

THEY SPLIT THEIR FAMILY UP, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME I MET MY UNCLES AND AUNTIES, AFTER APARTHEID, AT MY DAD'S FUNERAL.

THIS IS WHAT APARTHEID DID.

AND SO THROUGH OUR MUSIC WE JUST WANT TO SPREAD THIS MESSAGE OF UBUNTU.

UBUMTU IS A PHRASE WE USED BACK IN THE DAYS OF APARTHEID WHICH SIMPLY MEANS, "HUMANITY."

WE ARE ALL ONE PEOPLE AND THAT'S THE MESSAGE I WANT TO SPREAD.

♪ WE BOW BEFORE YOUR LOVE ♪♪ [Applause]