Jeremy Loops stepped onto the Corona Sunsets stage at Casa Linga in Muldersdrift this weekend and greeted the crowd with a booming “Heita”. The audience erupted, returning the greeting with South African pride.
When Jeremy Loops says “Heita” (hello in South African slang) into the mic, it’s more than a casual hello. It’s a handshake, a nod, and a celebration of the local heartbeat. For Loops, it wasn’t just another gig; it was another reminder of his love for Mzansi.
The roaring crowd at Corona Sunsets Festival proves the connection goes far beyond his music. And yet, Loops admits he has another stage to perform on these days, fatherhood.
Just three months ago, his daughter Josephine entered the world, and she’s already become the headline act in his life.
“She smiled for the first time on Thursday,” he shares with a grin. “And the best part is, she and her mom are travelling with me.” He pauses, visibly moved while speaking exclusively to The Citizen.
“Fatherhood is the best feeling. It’s grounding, humbling, and it makes everything else, even the shows, mean more.”
From finance textbooks to guitars
The irony of Loops’ journey is that music wasn’t his plan. He studied finance and property at the University of Cape Town (UCT), thinking that business was the safer route.
But the hours of lectures, heavy with law, statistics, and accounting, left him restless. The breaking point came with financial mathematics. “It really is the worst thing I’ve ever experienced,” he laughs.
That’s when a guitar entered his life. “I bought it just to release the stress. I wasn’t enjoying the degree, but I wanted to finish it. At first, it was an hour a day, then six hours a day, and soon I was writing songs.”
Self-taught on early YouTube tutorials, he discovered looping before looping was cool. “There were maybe only one or two loop artists in the world at that time. I got myself a loop pedal and just started experimenting.” What began as procrastination transformed into passion, and eventually, purpose.
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Creating his own lane
South Africa didn’t have a blueprint for his sound. The South African Music Awards winner fuses reggae, rap, and folk, which existed outside the mainstream, but Loops leaned into it.
“I never envisioned it working out this way. Rick Rubin once said, You’ve got to follow your own interests first. That stuck with me. I didn’t write songs for other people. I wrote for myself and trusted that others would connect.”
And they did. Fans from Cape Town to Berlin now flock to his shows, drawn by the freshness of his sound and the rawness of his performances. He just returned from playing the Glastonbury Festival, adding that it’s been his largest audience so far.
The power of live connection
Awards and chart positions don’t top his list of priorities. For Loops, it’s about what happens in real time between himself and the crowd. “The goal is always to take the audience on a journey. Music is an emotional release; we’re all going somewhere together, reaching that peak as one.”
At Corona Sunsets, that philosophy was on full display. When the crowd responded “Heita” back to him, it wasn’t just about the word. It was about belonging to Mzansi.
Music as unity
Loops insists his work is non-political, but he knows that simply bringing people together is a form of resistance in itself. “Music is unity. It’s about peace, about welcoming everyone, no matter their background. In a divided world, a show can be a place where those divisions disappear.”
This sense of community reflects why he calls South Africa his anchor. “Mzansi inspires me every day. The energy, the people, the stories, they’re all in my music.”
Lessons from fatherhood
As a new father, Loops says his philosophy on life has sharpened. “The best thing you can do is create a safe environment before the baby arrives, making sure the mother feels supported. Being present during the pregnancy pays off when the baby comes.”
Jeremy’s advice for new dads
Create a safe space: Make sure the mom feels supported and comfortable before the baby arrives.
Be present: Show up during the pregnancy and around the birth; your presence matters more than you realise.
Patience is key: The small moments, like the first smile, make the challenges worth it.
Family first: Prioritise your partner and child; everything else will fall into place.
Enjoy the ride: Fatherhood is the best feeling, so embrace the chaos, the sleepless nights, and the joy.
Now, with Josephine in his arms and his guitar on stage, Loops is balancing the two roles he loves most: musician and dad. Both, he admits, teach him about patience, connection, and love.
As the sun dipped behind the Magaliesberg and the crowd sang back his lyrics at Corona Sunsets, Loops knew he was right where he needed to be.
A father, an artist, and above all, a South African voice that carries far beyond Mzansi.
