Fresh young artists to watch out for in 2023
Maybe you don’t know their names yet, but these young artists proved they have what it takes to take on the new year.
Pretoria has no scarcity of talent. And young would-be artists need not stand back for their older counterparts. Have a look at these up-and-coming musos and make sure to listen to their music.
Alter Ego
Justin and Darren Oates, who began their career under the moniker Telepathy, found their groove when they relaunched as Alter Ego, and that’s when things really took off. But music is not their only success, both boys have engineering degrees and they previously made a name for themselves in motorsport where they were sponsored by Total.
They have two nominations at this year’s Aitsa Awards, one for Newcomer of the Year, and another for their song “Verlore”, for Alternative/Rock Song of the Year.
The twins told Rekord: “Johannesburg and especially Pretoria have an abundance of good schools and universities with a refreshing young culture that contributes a lot to our success.”
Rayne
The eccentric trailblazer, Rayne, is out to shake the Afrikaans music industry to its foundations with his ambitious career. He was named Best Newcomer, Best Live Performer and Best Music Video for his debut single “Let it Rain” at the 2021 Indie-African Awards.
The Centurion-born artist is more than just a singer – he is a lyricist, musician, theatre actor and figure skater with a passion for social issues such as trauma, mental health, dreams, fantasies and desires.
It is said that Rayne is like a Gauteng thunderstorm after a long drought. Although his music will make you dance, his lyrics are interesting and deep, contrasting with what is expected of his genre. With his new single “Lugkasteel” he wants to show that he can make a big impact on Afrikaans music and should not be underestimated.
Scheppel
Johann Scheppel is a violinist with a flair for entertainment, so it is no wonder he received two of his songs were nominated, and he ended up winning an Aitsa award for Instrumental song of the year for his song “Toe vind ek jou”.
With a past in classical music, Scheppel is known for his perfectionism. He fuses classical, Celtic, hard rock and dubstep seamlessly together to create a varied yet unique sound. But to catch him at his best, you have to see him live. Informal, energetic, and manic, don’t be surprised if you can’t take your eyes off him.
Zaan Sonnekus
2022 was a big year for Sonnekus as he launched his recording studio, Son Studios, to a massive party consisting of dozens of Pretoria’s top names.
Sonnekus stands out for his deep soul and is open and honest about his music. He said: “Music doesn’t have to be perfect to mean something to you. Usually, I just write down how my heart feels. I write words that mean something to me and the music that supports it.”
Sonnekus was nominated for best alternative/rock song of the year for his song “Ek kan net bid”.
Simoné Roets
Afrikaans music star Simoné Roets was one of the nominees in the Aitsa awards for Newcomer of the year in 2022.
Roets appeared on the Afrikaans music scene and made her mark with her first two hits “Dans in die Donker” and “Ongerep” which quickly reached radio stations and playlists across the country. Roets performed “Dans in die Donker” at the Aitsa awards that took place in November 2022 to a very excited audience.
As for her plans for the New Year, she told Rekord: “Everything is in place for me to release my full album in March 2023. I feel proud of the finished product and look forward to sharing it with people!”
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