By the time Leo Sayer returned to South Africa at the end of the 1970s, he was no longer just an international pop star — he was already part of the country’s live music history. His relationship with South African audiences began during the pioneering Sun City era, when international touring in the region was still rare and complicated.

It was Sol Kerzner and the early Sun City concerts that brought Sayer to local stages for the first time in 1978 and 1979.

“We were kind of pioneering doing those shows up in Bophuthatswana before we could do a lot of shows in South Africa.”

One performance in 1979 has gone down in legend. The demand was so overwhelming that crowds gathered outside the venue after it sold out, while inside the arena, the lines between stage and audience all but disappeared.

“There was so little room that most of the audience jumped on stage. I’m dancing with everybody on stage and singing.”

It was a moment of shared joy that perfectly captured Sayer’s appeal — a performer who never built walls between himself and his fans. That same connection would soon be felt across the world again as his career surged into a dramatic new chapter.

By 1980, Leo Sayer was riding a major comeback with More Than I Can Say. Originally recorded by The Crickets in 1960, Sayer’s softly emotional version became one of the most memorable hits of the year. It reached number one on the US Billboard charts, climbed into the UK Top 10 and became a radio staple across South Africa. In a decade defined by dance floors, synths and stadium rock, Sayer reminded listeners that simplicity and sincerity still mattered.

Today, his catalogue is so extensive that even live performances have become a challenge to contain.

“I can’t even have an opening act any longer. There’s so many songs to fit in. We end up doing a show that’s one hour forty-five.”

Nearly five decades into his career, Leo Sayer remains driven by the same force that launched him to fame: songwriting.

“I’m a songwriter and I live to write songs. As long as I can find something new to do, I’m motivated.”

With a career spanning Grammy wins, multiple number-one hits and global tours across Europe, Australia and Africa, Sayer’s legacy is firmly sealed. Yet his story still feels unfinished.

“It’s been amazing… and it still goes on.”

For South African fans who remember those early Sun City shows — or who fell in love with his voice in 1980 through More Than I Can Say — Leo Sayer is more than a chart position. He is a reminder that the most powerful performances happen when artist and audience meet in the moment, singing and dancing together.

And in true Leo Sayer style, that moment never really ends.