In every note and every beat is the reminder that music is a journey with no end.
In the limelight since a young age, Angelique Greffrath is proving that fame is temporary, but class is permanent. A string of hits going back to August 2020 has culminated in several accolades and an internationally playlisted track. Straddling the line between alternative rock and pop, the Helderkruin songstress was recently awarded Song of the Year 2021 by BikerHart Radio for her December release, Waar was jy?
First appearing in a television commercial as toddler, Angelique would appear in several more adverts and publications before finishing school. With a voice more husky than operatic, she did not initially impress her more conservative school choir teachers but joined the band Tradisie Masjien while at the then Rand Afrikaans University. There she would team up with guitarist and vocalist, Johan Meyer, beginning an almost 20-year journey.
Apart form the Song of the Year 2021 award from BikerHart Radio, Angelique also picked up Song of the Month from the digital radio platform for both November and December. Waar was jy? was the December recipient, while Aan die maan se kant, a duet with Johan, got the nod for November. To make things sweeter, the tracks ended the year as the numbers one and two songs on the BikerHart Hit Parade for 2021.
The award-winning songs as well as the precursor that sets the tone for Waar was jy? have a long history. “The songs Wye Wereld, Waar was jy and Aan die maan se kant were written 18 years ago by Johan when we were part of Tradisie Masjien. We used to perform them together on stage and it was a powerful collaboration. Our styles complemented each other and portrayed this powerful rock force,” enthused Angelique.
“Wye Wereld successfully portrays the first phase that is followed after a break-up with someone you loved dearly. The emotion is usually one of deep sadness, disappointment and the longing for this relationship to have stood the test of time,” she explained. “The phase followed by this emotion is usually one of anger and unanswered questions. You start questioning whether this person really loved you all those years. This is where Waar was jy originates from.”
Not just a star performer, Angelique is a mother, wife and successful business owner. “My family is my first priority. I have two beautiful kids and I have a great husband who supports my musical endeavours 100%. As a full-time career woman, I have to burn the midnight oil at times for the music to fit into my lifestyle. As it forms a big part of my identity, I have to honour that in order to remain true to myself. Music energises me,” she beemed.
Angelique’s English offering, Safe Outside is getting airtime on radio stations across the world. The Wye Wereld video is currently being aired on kykNET’s NOU, and music videos for the remaining songs are in the pipeline. Vowing never to stop creating, Angelique said, “If my music can touch one person’s heart, my purpose is being fulfilled. It is as simple as that.”
