Publications
Partners
Zoid’s journey started the moment she released “Afrikaners Is Plesierig”, rocking out and dropping punchlines where the archaic original had simply tried to be aangenaam. Humour: that’s always been the shortcut to Kaner stardom, hasn’t it? The newspapers declared her an idol, a hard rock bokkie that could make Afrikaans music cool enough to appeal to the disaffected jongspan.
That revolution only really happened with Fokofpolisiekar, but at the time, Zoid’s way with words cemented her spot in the kunstefees zeitgeist in a way that no one had done in years. People were tiring, perhaps, of relying on Koos Kombuis for ballads with originality. We had “Meisie Wat Haar Potlood Kou” and we had “Maak Nie Regtig Saak Nie”. Great songs, but what would it all mean if we never had “Engel”? Zoid’s simple little love song remains one of the best ever written in Afrikaans.
The whole time she’d been writing in English, as well. People didn’t notice at first (Afrikaans artists have forever tried to cross over to the English market), but when she released Postmodern World with not a treffer in sight, it was clear: she was serious about the Anglophone stuff. That’s when “Aeroplane Jane” hit the radio, and the 5FM crowd began to think she was special.
Karen Zoid is special. Ultimate Zoid, her bold step into Greatest Hits territory, is a great reminder of that and a great way to while some away afternoon hours or burn through kilometres on the road. We’re just really, really hoping this isn’t the end of the road for a great South African entertainer. So, Karen: bly nog ‘n rukkie, asseblief?
[Ultimate Zoid comes with a bonus CD of live material and includes four original tracks. Sweet.]
That revolution only really happened with Fokofpolisiekar, but at the time, Zoid’s way with words cemented her spot in the kunstefees zeitgeist in a way that no one had done in years. People were tiring, perhaps, of relying on Koos Kombuis for ballads with originality. We had “Meisie Wat Haar Potlood Kou” and we had “Maak Nie Regtig Saak Nie”. Great songs, but what would it all mean if we never had “Engel”? Zoid’s simple little love song remains one of the best ever written in Afrikaans.
The whole time she’d been writing in English, as well. People didn’t notice at first (Afrikaans artists have forever tried to cross over to the English market), but when she released Postmodern World with not a treffer in sight, it was clear: she was serious about the Anglophone stuff. That’s when “Aeroplane Jane” hit the radio, and the 5FM crowd began to think she was special.
Karen Zoid is special. Ultimate Zoid, her bold step into Greatest Hits territory, is a great reminder of that and a great way to while some away afternoon hours or burn through kilometres on the road. We’re just really, really hoping this isn’t the end of the road for a great South African entertainer. So, Karen: bly nog ‘n rukkie, asseblief?
[Ultimate Zoid comes with a bonus CD of live material and includes four original tracks. Sweet.]
