Two musicians are making a place for Afrikaans music on an international platform.
Annari Breed and DuPreez Strauss treated their friends and family to a lovely performance of their songs on 28 February, just one day ahead of their departure for Belgium and the Netherlands, where they will perform their unique and soulful Afrikaans songs to new audiences until their return to South Africa in April.
The pair, who are solo artists, managed to nab this exciting European tour as a result of Strauss’ long-time friendship with the Flemish-South African Cultural Foundation during his time as an exchange student.
Following years of friendship, Strauss put Breed in touch with the foundation and they were taken by her musical ability, and the tour was born.
Talking about their music Strauss said, “We have both been writing music – she’s been writing Afrikaans music and I’ve been writing Afrikaans music – so for this particular tour we will only be performing a few songs together but mostly it will be me on my songs and her on her songs, but our styles resonate very well. We sing about the same things, but from my view as a man and her view as a woman.”
Now, taking their music abroad, the pair are excited to get a feel of the response they’ll receive from European audiences.
“The fact that we can go to another country and perform together, in our mother tongue, and that they can understand us – that is just such a privilege,” Breed said.
Excited about the tour and equally as excited to bring their music home, Breed added, “We hope that when we return in April that we’ll be able to get people out of their houses to come out and support us. I don’t think they will ever understand how much the support means.”
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