SA’s Got Talent finalist launches talk show career
This Dalpark 9 resident wants to create a quality TV product that will eventually be hosted on SABC 3.
Joe Fredericks (43) from Dalpark 9 made a name for himself in 2014, by ending up in the top three finalists at SA’s Got Talent, and is now pursuing a career as a talk show host.
Joe was born in Addo in the Eastern Cape, went to school in Uitenhage and attended PE Technikon from 2001 to 2003.
In 2003, Joe moved to Johannesburg to participate in the Coca-Cola Popstars television series and decided not to return to the Eastern Cape.
In 2004, he met his wife, Andrea Fredericks (39), and together they have three children Jazmyn (18), Nehemiah (15) and Gabriella (4).
Joe is an accountant by profession, as well as a senior worship leader at the Siloam Word of Truth Church in Brakpan, and has been for the past 20 years.
After 20 years in music, Joe feels the talk show is the right next step in his life, and his channel will premier on YouTube on September 5, at Joe Fredericks Talk Show.
He will upload the show every Thursday at 18:00, and Joe hopes to one day have enough support to move the show to SABC 3, where he will present the show in both English and Afrikaans.
“It is exciting; I always dreamt of hosting a talk show. I wanted to give that small-town child hope you can create your own circumstances. I want to tell inspirational stories, as I’m from Brakpan, so what? Where you are from says little about who you are,“ he explained.
“As a child, I wanted to be a news anchor. I looked up to Riaan Cruywagen and thought ‘That’s who I want to be’”, he said.
A highlight in his life was the birth of his first daughter. Her birth reminded him that there was always hope and life.
“I would not exchange my family, wife and children for anything,” he said.
A low point in his life was the loss of his parents at 19.
“It felt like my whole world was collapsing, but through all my hardest times, the Lord was there. People can leave and fail you but God is always there,” he explained.
A major inspiration for Joe is his late grandmother, who always pushed him to be his best and exposed him to Jesus Christ. When asked how he chose music as a pursuit, Joe explained that music chose him.
“I found I could sing in Grade One when we were doing a nativity play. I wanted to be Joseph, but ended up in the choir instead and discovered I could sing when I sang Silent Night. Singing is one of the most beautiful talents to me. No matter where you find yourself in the world, music remains the most beautiful pursuit.”
Joe’s advice to the world is to ‘just inspire someone’. He believes you can encourage others to pursue their dreams simply by following your own and not expecting anything in return.
“Do everything with a charitable heart and no intentions,” he explained.
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