The South African Sopranos: Roadtrip to the KKN-Kanna

I have this friend Niel. A passionate man with vision, extremely talented and innovative. I first met Niel when a fellow colleague put my name forward for a new group Niel was putting together. The “South African Sopranos”. Honestly, I can’t imagine what Niel must have been thinking. Pitch the idea to most people, and they’re put off  (quite rightly) by the image of larger-than-life drama queens, competing for the audience’s attention by screaming at the top of their lungs with too much vibrato. But a new era was dawning.  I certainly had the time for a new project, and figured that if anybody were to change the way people think about classical singers, I might as well be part of the revolution! And what a journey it’s been…

May 2012: The singers were selected, and the group officially made our debut in a gorgeous, intimate concert venue. Five sopranos serenading  fifty audience members, and they absolutely LOVED it!
A humble beginning yes, but a promising one nonetheless! Over the following months the group gained momentum, performing everywhere from the Nelson Mandela Lecture to the Suidoosterfees.
People were starting to take notice, but Niel’s next step was still an ambitious one. He wanted to get the group on the road. Not just to anywhere, but to the KKNK no less! (that’s the Little Karoo National Arts Festival - The BIGGEST arts festival in the country!) Coordinating everybody’s schedules proved problematic, but at long last Niel managed to secure a group, one that had never performed together, complete with new, highly ambitious repertoire. Eish! But the show must go on, and that’s how the divas found themselves en route to the town of Oudtshoorn - ostrich central in the heart of the Little Karoo...

Having toured with choirs throughout my high school career, I thought I was pretty clued up on how these trips usually go. Yet, nothing could have prepared me for sharing one house (and bathroom I might add) with four fully-fledged Divas.  I must admit, we all had our misgivings about prima donna vibes, but it turned out there was absolutely nothing to be worried about (Relieved for DAYS!). After coordinating our bathroom schedule, our communal stay ended up being one of the most fun and educational trips I’ve ever had. And don’t even get me started on the tricks of the trade!!! Who else knows more about the best remedies for the voice in need of TLC, tips for the removal of stubborn waterproof eye make-up (the answer is baby oil by the way – who would have guessed?!), the proper way to lace a corset or where to shop for bargains when you go prop-hunting? Then add decades of insider gossip, the exchange of war stories  and industry jokes and you have the BEST kuier in the Klein Karoo J

But we didn’t go to Oudtshoorn for a kuier after all, we came to sing - and sing we did! Our venue, an acoustic 100-seater, and our show a total sell-out for the entirety of our run. It proved that Opera is NOT boring, and it is FAR from dead! Niel has an incredible way of making the old new, and under his direction well-known repertoire was transformed into something fresh and exciting! I don’t know who had more fun- the audience or the performers?? There’s really nothing more special than to share your passion, an experience evidenced by triumphant cheers, standing ovations and a lack of dry eyes in the theatre.  It was magic… So much so, that people wanted to take us home – in CD form I mean ;) We’ll definitely have to start recording soon…

To our director Niel, our accompanist Elna, and Sopranos Vanessa, Jo-Nette, Magdalene and Goitsemang - to be able to collaborate with you has been a highlight of my year.
And if the experience wasn’t already enough, our production scooped up a prestigious Kanna nomination for Best classical music performance. The awards are taking place on 5 May, and everybody’s keeping their fingers crossed for a win! I’m incredibly excited to be attending the ceremony with my colleagues at the magnificent Mount Nelson hotel, but now there’s only one problem…

WHAT TO WEAR???

Magdalene, Jo-Nette, Elna, Goitsemang, me & Vanessa

Makes me think of the Queen of Drag RuPaul's lyrics: "Cover girl, put that bass in your walk! Head to toe, let your whole body talk!"

Til next time, let the music play ;)

Lynelle ♥

Not a girl, not yet a woman: The mid-20 life crisis

The new year came and went by in a flash it seems, and it's with incredulity that I watch the season change from scorching summer to cool autumn. A reminder that the circle of life and the passage of time is ever-flowing. It's a welcome change, something to embrace :)
Mother Nature makes the metamorphosis seem so effortless, that I can't help but wonder:
Is it supposed to be easy?
Or at least, easier than what it feels like now. Making the transition from who you used to be, to who you are meant to be. You don't easily hear young people talk about the struggle, as if admitting to it would be to admit that one is weak or incompetent. I am only too aware that I am fast approaching the big 2 5 in June, and I wondered how many of my peers share the same sentiments.

A friend recently sent me an e-card that read:
I miss being the age where I thought I would have it all figured out by the age I am now!

Needless to say, I canned myself. It's hilarious, but only because it's TRUE :O
My friends and I are in consensus: Our twenties are a messy time in our lives.
Somehow, we just don't find ourselves where we thought we would be. It's a huge, unexpected wake-up call. And it's not because we didn't have goals or dreams or didn't work hard. We just realized that our dreams were even bigger than we thought, and that it'll take a little longer to get there.
It's the worst growing pains imaginable. We are finally spreading our fledgling wings and earning life experience.

This past year has been a whirlwind, no wonder time has gone by so fast! I've had to adapt and change faster than I ever could have prepared for, and the experience has  taught me some invaluable lessons. Lessons that I carry like battle scars and a little bit of wisdom that I'm proud to share:

    1.   Stop expecting it to look like what you thought it would look like 

Big break? Big mistake! Even with supposed fame and fans, there are no shortcuts to "making it big". Contrary to popular belief, there are no stylists or make-up artists on our shoots. It's you and the crew. You pack your own lunch. Sometimes I leave home when it's dark and only get home when it's dark. No, they don't buy you clothes; you wear your own. If they do get clothes for a particularly styled shoot, you don't get to keep it. You still have to go to castings and auditions to prove yourself, and work even harder because others assume you got a free ticket to be there. You do any work that guarantees either major exposure, or money in your pocket. You build your brand and buy your independence one gig at a time. It's tough. But glorious.  La vie boheme :)

     2.   Take your ego out of the equation

Ah... I think back fondly to my student days. I had a bursary covering my living expenses. Every gig I did was pure spending money. Man, did I live it up! Out every weekend, meeting people, going places.
I was the "It-girl". Fast forward 2 years and I have a budding career in the entertainment and media industry. Some would say "OMG, she's so lucky, she has it all!" What I have is a great opportunity, and I'm determined to work my ass off to take it as far as I can. Reality check: As a freelancer, you're not guaranteed steady work or a steady income. Yet I now pay my own rent, buy furniture, pay my own student and study loans. Life is expensive. I don't live with my parents and yes, I miss my mother's cooking.
This inevitably means I have less spare cash lying around. I can cry for money I wasted in times past.
And yet, I wouldn't change a thing :) It builds character for real. There is no "trying to keep up with the Joneses". Materialism fades away by necessity. I simply cannot base my worth on what's in my pocket. I constantly remind myself, "I am rich in possibility and potential, with so much to offer professionally". I have taught myself to live more simply, with more humility and gratitude. To stop comparing my situation with other young people I know. That friend partying it up every weekend, always going to every live concert at Greenpoint stadium? She still lives AT HOME. The wealth side of things will catch up soon enough. It's totally ok if my dream home and dream car have to wait a little!
I don't have to prove anything to anybody. Pressure off :)

     3.  Learn who your friends are, and who you want to be as a friend

The result of a simpler life is that you realise who's in it with you for the right reasons. I have been blessed to have many friends over the years. Some stayed, some went, but all of them taught me something different about people and life in general, and especially about myself. Not everyone has your best interests at heart. People can be selfish even when they don't mean to be. I've learned first-hand what it is to be a bad friend, to hurt and be hurt by someone. I know the pain of losing people I thought would always be there.
But I've also learned to become a good friend, and have the love of good friends in my life. And when that happens, it changes your life. Friendship is not always easy, but it is one of the most beautiful things we get to experience. You get to share your burdens and joys, encourage and support each other in your endeavors, and learn and grow together. It's an honest and true bond. And when I need a reality check, my friends will call me on my bullshit in the nicest way possible ; they're the voice of reason when I need it the most.
I consider myself blessed at this young age to have a small core group of friends that are the real deal. We've gone through so much together. They've seen me at my best and my worst, and still think I'm worth it. They inspire me to want to be a better person. I can only pray that I'm as good a friend to them as they are to me.

Wow, this is a long post! I guess the gist of what I'm trying to say is:

Hey, even if you don't have it all together yet, don't be discouraged by how far you still have to go. Don't be so hard on yourself. Be grateful. Look at how far you've come already. Rome wasn't built in a day. Have faith.
And lastly: buckle up for the ride of your life, with the people that make the ride worth it!

Chill, you're having the time of your life... :)

Love and light!

Lynelle ♥

♥ Valentine's Day 2013 ♥

Yes, it's that time of the year again, when it seems the entire world has gone crazy in the name of LURVE (Seriously, it feels waaay too short to have been a year since the last one came around!)
But love it or hate it, you just have to go with it lol!

Flowers, chocolates, dinner specials for couples, proposals, gift cards- they're EVERYWHERE!
Enough already lol! I wanna talk about my thing, music, but more specifically, the "LOVE SONG" ;)

Love song
My first introduction to this eternal phenomenon came in Grade 1. I remember our primary school music teacher having this thick file filled with song lyrics. She'd play a track, and the whole class would have to learn a specific song by singing along from the lyrics projected on a wall. The girls absolutely loved it! The boys, on the other hand, produced a low droning noise at best, not wanting to be caught dead singing or looking as if they enjoyed it. Still, in this fashion, she lay the foundation for what was to become my career choice later in life. In any case, one of the first songs our reluctant class learned to sing was "The Rose". Ah, classic Bette Midler... And what a song! I don't think I could possibly have grasped the emotional meaning of the song at the age of 7, merely making pretty notes on words, but nowadays I regard it as one of the most simple and yet powerful love songs. I run the risk of disclosing my age here (a lady never tells, after all!) but here are the lyrics for those of you who might not know the song:

Some say love, it is a river
That drowns the tender reed.
Some say love, it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed.
Some say love, it is a hunger,
An endless aching need.
I say love, it is a flower,
And you its only seed

It's the heart afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance.
It's the dream afraid of waking
That never takes the chance.
It's the one who won't be taken,
Who cannot seem to give,
And the soul afraid of dyin'
That never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long,
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong,
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed that with the sun's love
In the spring becomes the rose

There, didn't I tell you? Powerful. No explanation needed :)
I'd like to dedicate the song to my loved ones, and to my incredible group of friends, near and far.
This girl has never felt more loved, and your support means THE WORLD to me. Together, we've made it through it all, and we'll continue to kick ass, no matter how tough the fight!
You guys are my heart and my sanity.
And for that, I'll love you eternally.

Speaking of love songs: I'm a bundle of nervous excitement today. My good friend and brilliant young composer, Jean-Pierre Steyn and I recorded his new work "Liefdestog" (Love's journey) last night.  A gorgeous song cycle of 3 Afrikaans poems set to music, this project is close to my heart. The first song is actually set to MY favorite Afrikaans poem, so special... I cannot wait to be able to share it with you! So fitting actually, with love being celebrated today :)

Last words:
My wish for Valentine's day is that we all share a little more love with everybody that comes our way, learn to receive a little more love, and most importantly, that we may love ourselves enough to know when something is worth our best efforts.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!


Lynelle ♥


PS*
So, what was YOUR first love song???

In concert, singing a love song ;)

How I Live Now

Dedicated to mummy & deddi, with all my love

A few years ago, I was given a book as a Christmas present from my high school sweetheart's family (Shoutout to the Masekos!) Being an avid reader and bookworm, needless to say, I was delighted.  But to be honest, I don't really remember what the book was about (something about life before, during and after World War II as seen from the young heroine's perspective and so on and so forth...) but the title "How I live now" and the theme of adapting to constant change has stayed with me since.

As part of my job as presenter, I am constantly learning and developing new skills. Besides the obvious, these skills have grown to also include MC'ing and delivering motivational speeches at events. I enjoy this fresh new opportunity to interact with people, and to share some knowledge and experience with others :)

For my first engagement as a motivational speaker, I was invited to the Paarl Campus of Boland College for their annual Welcoming Assembly for new and returning students. I was particularly excited that I would be making my so-called debut in a place I've called home for 24 years. A homeground advantage if you like!  I decided on the theme of "Success" and how our generation defines it. I didn't want to come across as some phoney wanna-be by reciting a CV-like speech. I wanted to keep it real. I wanted to speak frankly about my experiences with supposed failure, expectations and disappointments and most of all, the need to be able to adapt to change. As young people, we live in difficult times, faced with more opportunities and challenges than any generation that came before, and making a decision about the future can be daunting. I like to compare it to a "Multiple choice questionaire", except where previously one had the option between 2 choices, one of which was right and the other wrong, there are now perhaps 10 possible answers, of which many could be inviting. Among our peers, there seems to exist a constant race to not only achieve, but to do so in the shortest time-frame possible (youngest Grammy Award-winning star, youngest billionnaire... can anyone keep up??) Add to this the pressure and expectations from parents, relatives, teachers, the community, and it is easy to feel TOTALLY overwhelmed. I mean, these are all people who care about our well-being and we don't want to let them down. When I asked around how the youth define success, I had answers like "when I graduate" or "when I have a good job and earn X amount of money". Good answers perhaps, but answers that make it seem as if success is something one can only achieve in the future. Which would suck if that were true!

I grew up in a musical community and fell in love with classical music at an early age. I'm fortunate that my parents have always supported my passion; I remember them going out of their way to pay for piano lessons, singing lessons, violin lessons. Driving EVERYWHERE for rehearsals and concerts and competitions. Buying a new instrument when I decided (on a whim I might add) that I preferred the cello to the violin.  They supported me when I changed  schools and went to live away from home at the age of 16 to be able to sing in the national Youth Choir. I knew then that I wanted to make music for the rest of my life. After school, I enrolled at the UCT Opera School and 4 years flew by. I was a good student, and graduated top of my class. And then came the inevitable question: WHAT NEXT??? Like many other young singers, I dreamed of "making it abroad". I auditioned in London for a post-graduate performance degree and didn't make it. I felt like I had disappointed anyone who's ever believed in me. How could I be as good as everyone wanted to make me believe, and still fail? At the time, I also had to deal with the severe heartache of a relationship coming to an end when my then-boyfriend moved back to Ireland. It was tough, down-in-the-dumps, rock bottom tough. After 8 years of independence and freedom, I was forced to move back home to face the reality of my mum's illness. Of seeing her in pain every day, struggling to have a normal life. I was shattered and more than just a little depressed. I decided to get some help, and through divine grace and the love and support of my friends and family (my heroes, SERIOUSLY!), I slowly started coming to grips with reality and began putting my life back together again. The turning point came when a teaching opportunity opened up at the local Frank Pietersen Music Centre, and I threw myself into learning and rediscovering the magic of music with my students. I finally felt that I was contributing and making a difference, and that feeling gave me a renewed sense of purpose. Truthfully, I knew that maybe it wasn't what I had wanted initially, but I remembered the vital role that my various music teachers had played in my life and I strived to do my best for as long as I was able to. And then came the infamous Top Billing presenter search. By now, I trust you all know the story. The exposure was priceless. The (presenting!) competition gave me a once-in-a-lifetime musical opportunity to do a duet with classical Superstar Katherine Jenkins, as well as perform SOLO in her sold-out concert (yes, I am still pinching myself even after all this time!) And then best of all, following my on-screen "reality internship", the Afrikaans lifestyle program Pasella hired me as their newest presenter (TV titbit sidenote: Top Billing and Pasella are both produced by Tswelopele Productions, so they kept me in the family lol!) What makes this appointment even better, is that it's freelance. This gives me the time and freedom to simultaneously pursue my love of performing, something I could never ever give up. To make a living and do what I love, I didn't have to pack up and move to a different country and leave my friends and family. Instead, I packed up and moved a mere 90 km to Muizenberg (where Tswelopele is based). Now, at the young age of 24, I'm blessed to live the life of my dreams; a life some people work a lifetime towards and are only able to enjoy after their retirement. A life of living right next to the ocean, time to go for walks on the beach, hikes in the mountains... Where I wake up grateful EVERY day. No, it hasn't always been easy, hell, sometimes it's still a struggle (ask any freelancer, we can write a thesis on the matter!) But I wouldn't change a thing because, as they say, "the juice was worth the squeeze!" The point I'm trying to make: Let's stop being so hard on ourselves by trying to "figure it all out" and just let go and let be! :) After all I've been through, success ended up being nothing I was expecting but everything I could have hoped for. Yes, I'm still dreaming, engineering my life one day at a time, and enjoying every second! I can't wait to see where the journey will take me next... The eternal adventurer! And hey, as far as success goes, that's enough for me, for now ;)

If you have a similar story or anything you'd like to share, I'd love to hear it so please let me know!

Til next time, Love and light!

Lynelle ♥

Just going with it! With aunty Pauline and mummy at my 21st birthday celebration :)

Rebirth

Dear friends

Thanks for the wonderful feedback on my first post! I loved hearing from you what you thought I should name my new blog; there were some funny and heartwarming suggestions and the decision was a tough one to make!
After much debate, I'm happy to announce that my blog will henceforth be known as...

*insertdrumroll*

Au natu-real: Adventures of the Curl-girl dreaming big!

OK, cheesy!!! Perhaps a little, but for those of you who've seen some of my work, it testifies of my belief that one can incorporate humor alongside a strong work ethic, making the path to success a scenic and enjoyable ride :)

In any case...

I'd like to share with you now a piece of writing, something I composed a while ago, but that somehow became more relevant and meaningful in the past couple of months. It came about after I had gone through a painful and difficult experience, one that changed me for the better, and for me the piece symbolizes hope and the often-unknown strength of the human spirit.

'Til next time!

Lynelle ♥

Enjoying some time out at the scenic V&A Waterfront in Cape Town

REBIRTH

Could have. Would have. Should have…

Letting go, the unbearable weight finally lifting, no longer smothered, I am free to breathe, to soar, to reach for a better dream, heights I had previously thought unattainable. And strange enough, contrary to my expectation, there was no announcement from the heavens, shepherded by a trumpet call, signaling the change I had sought in my soul for so long. It came as a quiet realisation that somewhere deep inside me, the shackles of my own invention had broken, dissolved within the desperate strength of my unwavering resolve... ENOUGH

I am like a child, born again, uncertain of taking the first few steps toward a distant horizon. But where there was once fear, there is now hope, its frail wings beating against the cage of its own imprisonment. Starting with feeble, irregular tappings  against the cold, metal bars, testing out their strength, growing to a powerful, percussive symphony, needing to break free. The dissonance grows louder until it is unbearable... ACT

My silent scream tears through the cacophony, my throat ripping open, until I hear what I thought I had lost so long ago. My voice. The beauty of its clarity piercing through the chaos, strong and pure. The noise fades into nothing. I am naked, exposed. Yet I am not vulnerable, I am not alone. My voice continues to ring through the emptiness, growing in strength, resonating across the once barren soil of my heart. Suddenly exhaustion overcomes me, and as I lay myself down upon the cold hard earth, I am enveloped by the overwhelming power of love, self-love, acceptance. It warms my whole body, my entire existence, and I fall asleep with a smile upon my face...

Taking the road less traveled...

They say life happens when you're busy making other plans...

Depending on how you choose to look at it, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it can be absolutely mind-blowing, totally unexpected and thrillingly exciting if you open yourself up to new possibilities and see where going with the flow takes you! You never know, you might be pleasantly surprised...

Nowadays, everybody is so caught up in trying to become someone, having their ducks in a row, getting that degree, earning a certain amount, that we confine and limit ourselves to what we (and others) expect us to be. But the reality is: we're players in a game where the rules are constantly changing. Hmmm, this sounds so formal and preachy. Let's make it more personal :)

At the time when Top Billing started advertising their competition for a new TV Presenter, I was happily and comfortably teaching singing at the local Frank Pietersen Music Centre in Paarl. I was working long hours with the pupils' exams coming up, and becoming a TV presenter was the LAST thing on my preoccupied mind.

Scene

Enter: my mum (She watches Top Billing almost religiously lol!)

Mum: Lynelle, did you see this?? Top Billing is looking for a new presenter!

Lynelle: Ok, thanks mum. I'm tired, maybe I'll check it out later...

A week later:

Mum: Look, here they're advertising the presenter search again! Have you entered yet?

Lynelle: Mum... (sigh) I haven't had time, I've been so busy at work. I'll get to it some other time...

And so this back-and-forth went on for what seemed like forever. Eventually, I decided to enter JUST so that my mum would stop nagging. I completed the online form, printed a picture, and got up one cold winter's morning at half past 4 to get in the queue with hundreds of other hopefuls, all waiting to take their shot at what's been labeled "THE job of a lifetime"... And despite how my audition came about, I cannot deny that it's been the best decision I ever made (Yes mum, you're allowed to say you told me so!)

But don't be mistaken by thinking it's been an easy ride. The hard work starts now. And I'm SO ready to give it my best shot. This blog is about me stepping out into the spotlight and saying, "World, this is me. This is what I have to offer!" This is my journey, to continue to grow and push myself with all its challenges and triumphs. A girl from the farmlands, sharing her passion and joy on a bigger stage than she ever dreamed of...

So allow me to embark on this incredible journey with you, and I promise to make it a ride to remember... ;)

Love and light!

Lynelle ♥

Biscuit Mill vibes in Woodstock: Soaking up some sun with Nat (my sister from another mother!)