Swoon at noon with Cherry Pill
For nearly 25 years, husband-and-wife duo Kristel Birkholtz and Rory Gaddin have built a quiet but enduring career rooted in love, resilience, and live performance.
When Cherry Pill stepped onto the Theatre on the Square, Sandton stage on February 20, what the audience saw was polished romance, violin, and guitar in gentle conversation.
What they did not see is decades of steady work behind the scenes. Kristel Birkholtz and Rory Gaddin, the music duo Cherry Pill, have been performing together for almost 25 years. Their story began simply. “We met through music. Through a mutual friend. And we have been playing together ever since.”
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Both were shaped early by musical homes. “I grew up in a musical family and thought everyone played an instrument,” Birkholtz said. Gaddin’s path began with his father. “My dad is a guitarist. I fell in love with the instrument at about 12 and never stopped.” Birkholtz added that over the years, they have performed across genres from classical to jazz, rock to private events, and have toured internationally.
“Music has been an incredible passport. It’s taken us to Europe and America and into spaces we might never otherwise have seen,” Birkholtz added. Yet for all the travel, their heart remains in a live, intimate performance. “What we realised is that live music is what we truly love. The connection you feel with an audience in the same room can’t be replaced,” Gaddin said.
Their journey has not been defined by one breakthrough moment. “It’s been more of a slow-burning love affair with music,” Gaddin reflected. Behind the romance of performance lies the reality of running a sustainable career. He said, “The music is the easy part. The marketing, the admin, following up on payments, that’s the hard part.”
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Gaddin emphasised humility as central to longevity. “Keep a service mindset. You are there to serve the people in the room. Treat everyone with respect.”
For young artists dreaming of the stage, their advice is grounded. Gaddin said, “Our first gig had about three people in the audience. Don’t get discouraged. Be open to opportunities and let your love of music guide you.”
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