Johan van Schalkwyk, better known as the co-founder of the band, Smokkelhuiz has spent the majority of his life pursuing his passion for music.
At just six years old, he realized what his calling in life was, and ever since has devoted countless hours to turning his goals into reality while gaining popularity in the local music scene, one performance at a time.
“Music is a gift that you can give to someone. It brings meaning to everyday life, and it just feeds the soul.”
He started performing in front of people when he was 15 years old, and two years ago he decided to form the band Smokkelhuiz, which is also the name of his business, with his long-time buddy, Charl van Zyl.
The duo has since performed across northern KwaZulu-Natal and will shortly begin touring in Gauteng and the Free State.
Although the band does perform cover songs, Johan does not want to be known as a ‘cover band ‘and therefore he and Charl co-write most of their songs.
“It is the satisfaction of putting something out there that is yours. I put a lot of feeling and effort into my songs, and it’s our footprint; it makes us unique.”
Moving forward, Johan hopes to finally record an entire album using his own songs. He also hopes to travel a bit more and share his music with a broader audience.
Read the full interview with Johan van Schalkwyk on Page 10 of this week’s Newcastle Advertiser!
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