DUO ENCOURAGES LISTENERS NOT TO GIVE UP HOPE WITH NEW SINGLE AND MUSIC VIDEO

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The last few years have been tough on all of us, and it has been hard to stay positive. Lives, jobs and income were lost, marriages ended, and many people just wanted to give up. Through grace, most of us made it through this challenging time, and that is also what inspired popular duo, Victor Bravo’s latest single.

 

SOLANK DIE LIEFDE BLY is an alternative song taken from the arsenal of original music by this group, consisting of Weco van Basten (lead singer and songwriter) and Jopie Pienaar (lead guitarist). It was produced by Renier Henning Music and includes the musical stylings of well-known drummer Bruce Wallace and bassist Janes Blomerus.

 

“While playing guitar one day, I was thinking about the storms and sadness raging around us. Feeling discouraged, I wondered what would become of us,” Weco shares. “In that moment I realized that I was not alone and that as long as we have love and each other, everything will be fine.” 

 

According to Jopie, this song is closer to the sound the group originally envisioned for themselves and is aimed at listeners who appreciate deeper music. “The song is pleasing to the ear and the meaningful lyrics will invite you to take a second listen,” he says.

 

A music video, which complements the message of the song, is now available online. It was filmed by Gerduan Kemp Photo & Film’s  Gerduan Kemp at Sowaar Bar and Sowaar Studios, as well as at a brand-new Airbnb in Villieria, Pretoria.

 

The video shows the main character (Weco) singing alone in a bar, while the rest of his band (Jopie, Janes and Jean West) are playing their instruments at home. As the song progresses, they join him on stage one at a time until they are all united for a show.

 

“The video symbolizes the idea of how alone and isolated we all were just a while ago. It was hard having no support,” explains Weco. “When things started returning to normal, we became part of each other’s lives again. As long as we have people in our lives who care about and support us, there is always hope.”

 

SOLANK DIE LIEFDE BLY is their fourth release and follows in the successful footsteps of their precious single, Suiderkruis, which was released in 2020 and recently won an Afri-Indie Independent Artist Music Award for Best Contemporary Single.  

 

Skemer (2019) and Breakway Line (2018) both won Afri-Indie Awards (Best Duo Single and Best Overall Single) and charted on various radio stations across the country.  

 

Victor Bravo made their debut in 2018. In the short time they have been performing together, the musical pair (who is also family) has enjoyed various career highlights, including several awards, two tours and performances on some of the biggest music stages in the country, such as Aardklop in 2019.  

 

When not on stage or busy writing songs for the group or other artists, Weco enjoys his day job as business intelligence manager at a large corporate company. He comes from a musical family and has been frequenting the braai and campfire scene at family get-togethers for years. The musician was also a member of the Drakensberg Boys Choir and studied drama and creative writing in the USA after school.

 

Jopie, co-owner of CrossFit MTVE in Pretoria, is equally passionate about fitness and music. After attending his first rock concert at the age of fourteen, he bought a guitar, taught himself how to play and has since mastered the art of keeping a crowd entertained.

 

The versatile duo wants their music to be whatever the listener needs it to be at that particular moment when they hear it. “It must be jet fuel for the guys who want to party and enjoy it, but it must also be a gentle source of comfort to anyone looking for a shoulder to cry on at any given moment,” adds Weco.

 

SOLANK DIE LIEFDE BLY is one of those songs that speaks to the heart and will stay with you long after hearing it for the first time.

 

“I think the song speaks to the voice inside of us that makes us feel hopeless and tells us not to give up,” Weco concludes.

 

The song is available on all digital platforms.