Jeanette Pretorius. (Photo: Provided)
The singer and songwriter Jeanette Pretorius remembers how as a little girl she stood on stage with the iconic singers Gé Korsten and Rina Hugo, and how she and her other little singing partners giggled behind the curtains at how these singers warmed up their voices.
Jeanette celebrates 30 years in the music industry this year and her long singing career is still thriving today.
She can often be seen on stage with Bee Bee die By, or with Hansie Roodt as part of the music group Heuning.
Her latest solo release, “Trots Afrikaans”, is also a hot hit on all radio stations. Jeanette tells in Rhewal’s studio that this fun pop track with the deep lyrics was inspired by Afrikaners’ ability to see the humor in difficult circumstances.
“I find when I talk to people, there is a negative attitude, no matter how hard we try to stay positive.
“I wanted to write a light song that is not necessarily about love or a heavy theme. One night during load shedding I received a joke about the power situation and it was so funny to me. I just realized again how our sense of humor as Afrikaners carries us through everything and how we are stronger than we think,” says Jeanette.
She enjoys wearing different hats in the music industry. “Sometimes you have to find yourself in another genre, but to have perseverance in the industry and to be versatile is fun for me.”
As an independent artist who has to support herself financially for all the music she releases, she also decided to tackle the music video for “Trots Afrikaans” herself.
She approached a friend with a beautiful farm on Thabazimbi, as well as her two barefoot farm children, to appear in the video. Jeanette also took a few shots with Jacques Mouton and singing partner Hansie at a farm dam near Centurion.
“It’s a lovely music video and portrays the story told by the song.”
Jeanette landed her first record deal with Decibel Music in primary school. It is also on this company’s festival stages where she was able to hone her talent for singing and writing with iconic artists.
“I still remember how my manager, Lydia Winchester, took me to Woolworths as a little girl to buy me clothes. She has always played an important role in my career and in my life. She is like another mother to me.”
She jokes that she can’t see herself on stage with a cane, but adds that she still wants to be involved in the music industry until her old age.
“If I’m not writing music for myself, I’d like to write for other artists. For now, however, I still feel very young and I believe it is a privilege that I enjoy my work. If your work is fun, you never work a day in your life.”
“Proud Afrikaans” is up all major digital platforms available.
Watch the music video here:
