Young muso inspires

When you think about the South African music scene, it may be tempting to only consider big names such as Johnny Clegg or Mandoza.

But for every big act there are a number of smaller acts that are just as impressive.

Meet Ceinwen Buchan (29), a local singer and songwriter with a passion for sound which she fits around her day job at a media company. “I would definitely be a full-time musician if it weren’t for the issue of money,” Buchan said.

“I love [music] so much, any chance I get to play it, I do!”

When asked what sort of music she writes and performs, Buchan said it is a mix of acoustic, Indie rock and folk. Listening to any one of her band, Turning August’s recorded tracks on Soundcloud, one is put in mind of the British group Florence and the Machine, and both acts feature a strong female vocalist.

However, it would be incorrect to say that Ceinwen or Turning August are another copycat band. She is, after all, a local girl and is very much inspired by her own journey, from being hospitalised after a harsh bout of endometriosis, to wanting to have the innocence and imagination of a child again, to her personal experiences of loss.

“My song Lemon Tree was about loss – the grief of a loved one passing away, sure, but also the sense of loss one gets from moving on in life.”

Perhaps it is not surprising that she has such a great love for all things creative – her mother is Hazal Buchan, a celebrated Joburg artist who works primarily with paper as a medium.

And while her father isn’t a musician himself, it is him that Ceinwen credits for forming her musical tastes. “I grew up listening to my dad’s music, meaning I’d hear a lot of Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and Jimi Hendrix,” she explained.

“I remember when I was a kid, I’d take my dad’s CDs and learn all the lyrics by heart. I also count these musicians among my influences.”

Ceinwen has played guitar since she was 14 years old, although it was only relatively recent that she started to perform in public, explaining that she only started to do so after a lot of encouragement from her friends.

“The first time [I performed] I was very scared to be playing a live show. And while I’ve gotten better at it, I still get nervous before gigs. I think it’s because when you love something so much, the way I love music, you’re really frightened of messing it up.”

She didn’t mess it up during her most recent performance at the popular live music venue, Rumours Lounge, and she certainly didn’t mess it up when she started creating her own music videos for her songs, using old family videos and stop-motion animations to create a visual aspect to her music.

Although Turning August may be on a hiatus after losing their guitarist, the future still looks bright for this local muso. When asked about what she wants to do now, her answer is clear and hopeful. “I’m always open to trying new genres and for trying new collaborations in my music. I’d be willing to experiment – I’d even try house music!”

Find their Soundcloud account or on YouTube.