Stephen Jonathan Stel Sy Eerste Enkelsnit Vry | Starburst Music
Stephen Jonathan Stel Sy Eerste Enkelsnit Vry
Wednesday, October 30, 2019 - 10:49
“Partykeer moet jy iets laat gaan of eindig om regtig te leef. Dit kan enigiets wees, van ’n moeilike verhouding, tot slegte gewoontes of ’n werk wat jou ongelukkig maak. Alhoewel dit nie maklik is om deur so iets te gaan nie en dit jou kan verwar, is dit dalk presies wat jy nodig het,” verduidelik Stephen Jonathan oor die boodskap agter sy langverwagte debuut-enkelsnit, wat nou, gedurende die laaste week van Oktober 2019 vrygestel word.
THE WIND WILL TAKE ME THERE, wat sagte rock- met kontemporêre elemente kombineer, is oorspronklik deur Joshua na die Reën geskryf (Laat Die Wind My Neem) vir sy 2016-album, Die Wêreld Binne My. Jonathan, wat op daardie stadium in sy orkes gespeel het, het dadelik verlief geraak op die lied en besluit om dit te vertaal en sy eie verwerking daarvan te doen. Buiten vir die feit dat dit sy talent as musikant en sanger ten toonstel, sluit dit ook elemente van die Afrikaanse snit in.
“Die boodskap van die liedjie het my van die begin af geboei. Oor die jare, het dit in my kop bly vassteek. Daarom het ek besluit om dit nie net te vertaal nie, maar ook die boodskap in Engels te herskryf en my eie verwerking daarvan te doen,” verduidelik hy. “Dis ’n pragtige inspirerede lied, deur ’n baie talentvolle musikant en liedjieskrywer, en ek is baie trots daarop dat ek dele van die oorspronklike snit in my weergawe kon insluit.”
Joshua na die Reën sê dit is vir hom ‘n eer dat Stephen hierdie liedjie opgeneem het. “Stephen Jonathan is waarlik ‘n talentvolle, oorspronklike en spirituele siel wat nie net musikale waarde toevoeg tot die globale musiek landskap nie, maar ook filosofiese bydraes lewer. Wat ‘n eer dat hy hierdie liedjie van my weer verwerk en na Engels vertaal het”.
Buiten daarvoor dat hy al die geleentheid gehad het om openingsvertonings te doen by verskeie uitverkoopte konserte en saam met van die grootste name in die bedryf kon werk, sonder Jonathan die vrystelling van sy eerste enkelsnit uit as een van sy grootste loopbaanhoogtepunte sover.
“Dit was ’n wonderlike ervaring om by my gunsteling-ateljee, Audio Nebula, op te neem! Byron Muller is ’n puik vervaardiger. Ons werk al lank aan hierdie snit en ek is baie opgewonde om te sien watter resultate dit gaan oplewer,” deel hy.
Stephen Jonathan is ’n Suid-Afrikaanse musikant en liedjieskrywer, van Pretoria, wat reeds vir twaalf jaar in die musiekbedryf doenig is. Alhoewel hy aanvanklik bekendheid verwerf het vir sy ongelooflike kitaarspel, het hy gedurende sy vormingsjare homself ook bewys as ’n gedugte sanger en liriekeskrywer.
Sedertdien was hierdie talentvolle man deel van verskeie groot en suksesvolle musiekgroepe, waaronder Stones & Gold (stigter, sanger, liedjieskrywer en kitaarspeler), Jackvalve (kitaarspeler en liedjieskrywer), Joshua na die Reën (akoestiese kitaarspeler) en Deon Bakkes and the Stolen Horses (ritme- en hoofkitaarspeler), om maar net ’n paar te noem. Hy het ook al opgetree by groot musiekfeeste soos Oppikoppi, Mieliepop, Innibos, Aardklop en die Smoking Dragon Festival én die verhoog gedeel met Fokofpolisiekar, Francois van Coke, Jeremy Loops, Matthew Mole, Desmond and the Tutu’s, en meer.
Stephen het in ’n huis grootgeword waar sy pa altyd musiek gespeel het, van Klassieke Rock tot Blues. Volgens die kunstenaar fassineer die manier waarop note, melodieë en woorde so perfek kan saamvloei om soveel betekenis voort te bring hom al vandat hy op die ouderdom van twaalf geleer kitaar speel het. Kort daarna het hy ook ’n passie daarvoor ontwikkel om sy eie liedjies te skryf.
“Ek vind inspirasie in my eie fisiese en emosionele ervaringe. As ek iets kan voel, kan ek die storie deur middel van my woorde en melodieë vertel,” verklap hy. “Ek bewonder ook plaaslike musikante soos Joshua na die Reën, Dan Patlansky, Roan Ash en Jeremy Loops. Hulle het sukses bereik as gevolg van hulle ongelooflike musiek en moes hard werk om bo uit te kom. Ek dink ook dat groepe soos Pollinator, Scarlotte Will en Strait-Jackal fantastiese musiek maak, maar nie noodwendig die erkenning kry wat hulle verdien nie.”
Stephen beskryf homself as ’n rustige koffieliefhebber wat ’n sielkundige sou wou wees as hy nie kon sing nie, juis omdat die menslike psige hom na aan die hart lê. Hy het waardering vir verskillende tipes musiek en meen dat groot name soos Dire Straits, Pearl Jam, John Mayer, Chris Cornell, Bruce Springsteen, MUSE, Foo Fighters, Ryan Adams, Madrugada, Rodrigo Y Gabriella, JJ Grey en Mofro die grootste invloed op sy eie styl, wat elemente van verskeie genres kombineer, gehad het. “Ek hou van ’n goeie liedjie, ongeag van wat die genre is. Grunge, Blues, Rock, Funk en R&B is egter waarna ek my hele lewe lank luister, maar ek geniet ook Metaal-, Country- en Popmusiek ewe veel,” vertel hy.
Dié veelsydige ster het onlangs besluit om te werk aan sy solo-loopbaan en beplan om binnekort ’n nuwe enkelsnit en musiekvideo uit te reik. Sy solo-projek en -optredes sluit iets in van alles wat hy al gedoen het en kan beskryf word as Progressiewe Poprock, wat ’n nuwe en opwindende klank na die plaaslike musiekmark bring.
Net soos elke ander musikant, moes Stephen Jonathan ook hard veg vir sy plekkie in die kollig en meen hy dat hy steeds elke dag op soek is na daai een liedjie wat hom in verwondering laat. Hy glo dat musiek tyd en stilte versier en probeer met alles wat hy skep ’n blywende impak op die harte van musiekliefhebbers laat. Met THE WIND WILL TAKE ME THERE oortref hy nie net hierdie doelwit nie, maar vestig hy ook vir homself ’n permanente plek in die Suid-Afrikaanse musiekbedryf.
Kry die liedjie hier:
Itunes/ apple :
Sel: 079 776 3052
“It is centred on the idea of letting something die in order to truly be alive. This can be toxic relationships, habits, a job or anything really. Although this is not an easy thing to go through and can be really confusing and scary, it might be exactly what you need,” reveals Stephen Jonathan about the message behind his long-awaited debut single, which has already claimed the hearts of various South African music lovers.
THE WIND WILL TAKE ME THERE, which can be described as a stadium rock song with a bit of a world music influence, was originally written in Afrikaans by Joshua na die Reën for his 2016 album, Die Wêreld Binne My. Jonathan, who was playing in his band at the time, fell in love with the song and decided to translate and do his own arrangement of this captivating track. It not only showcases the artist’s talent as a musician and singer, but also includes the vocals and keys of the original songwriter.
“The message of the song gripped me from the first time I heard it. Over the years, it stuck with me and I decided to not just translate and cover it, but to rewrite the meaning in English and do my own arrangement of it,” he explains. “It is such a beautiful and inspiring song, written by a very inspiring human being and incredibly talented musician and songwriter, and I am very honoured to have his voice and keys on the track.”
Joshua na die Reën says: “A genuinely talented, authentic, spirited soul, contributing not only musically but also philosophically to the SA, and I believe global music scene. What an honour to have one of my songs re-arranged and translated by Stephen Jonathan”.
In addition to opening at various sold-out concerts and working with several big names in the music industry, Jonathan credits the release of his first single as one of his biggest career highlights so far.
“Recording at my favourite studio, Audio Nebula, has been fantastic! Byron Muller is an amazing producer and recording engineer. We have been cooking up this brew for a while now and I am pretty excited to see where all this hard work is headed,” the artist shares.
Stephen Jonathan is a South African musician and songwriter from Pretoria, who has been active in the music industry for twelve years. Although he first became known for his incredible guitar skills, Stephen also proved himself as a formidable singer and writer early in his career.
This talented man has formed part of several successful bands/groups, including Stones & Gold (founder, singer, songwriter and guitarist), Jackvalve (guitarist and songwriter), Joshua na die Reën (acoustic guitarist) and Deon Bakkes and the Stolen Horses (rhythm and main guitarist), to name a few.
He has also performed at big festivals such as Oppikoppi, Mieliepop, Innibos, Aardklop and the Smoking Dragon Festival and has shared the stage with Fokofpolisiekar, Francois van Coke, Jeremy Loops, Matthew Mole, Desmond and the Tutu’s, and more.
Stephen grew up in a home where his dad played music all the time, from Classic Rock to Blues. According to the artist, he has been fascinated by the way chords, melodies and words flow together perfectly to bring forth so much meaning from the age of twelve, when he started playing guitar. Shortly after, he developed a passion for writing his own songs.
“I find inspiration in my own physical and emotional experiences. If I can feel something, I can use words and melodies to tell the story,” he says. “I also admire local artists such as Joshua na die Reën, Dan Patlansky, Roan Ash and Jeremy Loops. I feel they are where they are now because of the amazing unique music they make, and not through a hustle, they have honestly clawed their way up. I also think that the slightly ‘underground’ acts in our South African music scene like Pollinator, Scarlotte Will and Strait-Jackal who make fantastic music even though our scene doesn’t repay them with the recognition they deserve.”
Stephen describes himself as a laid-back coffee lover who would have like to be a psychologist if he didn’t pursue a career in music, especially as matters of the mind is close to his heart. He appreciates different types of music and lists Dire Straits, Pearl Jam, John Mayer, Chris Cornell, Bruce Springsteen, MUSE, Foo Fighters, Ryan Adams, Madrugada, Rodrigo Y Gabriella, JJ Grey and Mofro as having a big influence on his own style, which combines different genres. “I love great music and the genre doesn’t always matter as long as the song is good. But I would have to say what I have liked most throughout my life, is Grunge, Blues, Rock, Funk and R&B. I even like metal and have a weakness for country music, as well as a good dose of Pop every now and again. I am also a huge fan of beautiful acoustic music,” he says.
This versatile artist recently decided to focus on his solo career and plans to release his first single and video shortly. His solo project and performances include aspects of everything he has worked on to date and can be described as Progressive Pop Rock, which brings a new and exciting sound to the local music scene.
Just like every other artist, Stephen Jonathan has had to fight for his place in the spotlight. He searches daily for that one song that makes him tick and believes that music decorates silence and time. With his music, he tries to leave a lasting impression on the hearts of listeners. THE WIND WILL TAKE ME THERE not only exceeds this goal, but also permanently secures his spot in the South African music industry.
The song is available on all online platforms:
Cell: 079 776 3052