TRENDING

FRAGRANTLY FESTIVE

For some affordable Christmas gifting, Bramley’s Limited Edition Christmas Gift sets are fragrant and elegantly boxed. Shop for their Shea Butter, Magnolia and Aloe Vera gift box selections, with two products inside. Or, keep an eye out for the gift set with a 100ml tissue oil and 250ml body butter. Price: From R34.99 Available here: PEP Stores nationwide

GET FESTIVE WITH LAMELLE

Lamelle has recently launched their festive skincare sets. Not only do these make for beautiful festive gifts, but they also come with a very welcome 30% discount! The promotion runs until the end of December (or until stocks last). Price: From R1515 Available here: www.dermastore.co.za INTERCHANGEABLE SNEAKERS. SAY WHAT?

designed specifically for kids between the ages of three and twelve, these sneakers are the perfect solution for those early morning fashion fights. Let your kids be creative and choose their own look for the day with JoyJoy’s interchangeable kids’ sneakers. Price: From R799 Available at: www.joyjoy.co.za

CHRISTMAS CANDLES

Amanda-Jayne’s just launched a new festive gift set with four festive Gold Tin Candles. The brand’s products are made from the finest natural ingredients and the new range includes their four top selling gold tin candle scents: Greenhouse, Night Bloom, Ginger Cake and Seasoned. They are all beautifully decorated with festive-inspired labels – perfect for any occasion. Price: R689

Available here:

NOSTALGIC MOMENTS WITH QUALITY STREET

There’s nothing that trumps a nostalgic treat like that from Nestlé Quality Street – even with its new packaging. Be sure to add some of these to those Christmas stockings this season. Price: R119 (435g) Available here: www.clicks.co.za

www.amandajaynecandles.com

WOOLWORTHS’ CHAKA CHAKA HOMEWARE COLLECTION

Whether for your Christmas table or as a gift, Woolworths’ Chaka Chaka Homeware Collection is the perfect African-inspired collection to add to your festive season. African patterns and materials, the traditional crown (isicholo) and neckpiece, and South Africa’s national flower, the Protea served as inspiration for the designs. Price: From R119 Available here: www.woolworths.co.za FOR THE LITTLES

Zawali has some of the most beautiful baby accessories (like these headbands), shoes, clothing, soft toys, bags and blankets. If you’re looking for something for that little munchkin who was just born, or for those soon-to-be parents, head on to their online shop now. Price: From R69 Available here: www.zawali.co.za

A SUMMER CHRISTMAS WITH

From where I sit, in my Pretoria office with Zoom open on my laptop, I see three young men with dreams in their eyes.

The Beatenberg trio position themselves on a piano chair in a Ramsgate-based studio on the UK coast, and even the distance can’t suppress their passion and drive to achieve more. It’s tangible.

#HelloLifestyle

by Renate Engelbrecht Images: Supplied

Matthew Field (vocals and guitar), Robin Brink (drums) and Ross Dorkin (bass) are no strangers to the entertainment world, having just returned from an exciting tour with singer-songwriter, George Ezra. Over only a few years, they’ve managed to achieve so much. Beatenberg is one of South Africa’s most celebrated bands. They have a canny ability to channel various kinds of styles and rhythms into their music with some referring to their genre as Afropop. Robin gives it a nod, saying it’s a nice thing to say.

We love a lot of African music and pop, Afropop and all the things that are happening in SA and Nigeria and across Africa, and across the world actually, because it’s more popular than ever before.”

Then he adds: “But then again, that would also maybe put us in a box.” Beatenberg’s long-term mission is to express much more than just Afropop. Still, coming from South Africa has inevitably brought an African influence to their music. “It’s cool to, in a way, be flying the flag,” says Robin, “especially with this huge tour we just did now.”

Apart from the recent George Ezra tour, Beatenberg has toured with the likes of Mumford and Sons, Baaba Maal and The Very Best. “That was a hugely valuable experience,” says Ross.

Robin and Matthew met in high school, where they started playing around with sounds. Matthew later went on to study music in Cape Town, where he met Ross. Eventually, music brought the three of them together. In fact, Matthew claims that Rob and Ross just had a connection. “I met them individually, but they had been supposed to get together in Cape Town. And then it happened.” Rob and Ross both grew up in Pietermaritzburg, but Rob had moved to Cape Town in his early teens and Ross only moved there after school. They had mutual friends from Pietermaritzburg, but Matthew introduced them through Cape Town, which brought them all to a “nice fullcircle connection.”

Beatenberg’s single, Pluto (Remember You) set South Africa’s national airplay record,

spending seventeen weeks on radio charts. Eventually, it went on to win four prizes at the South African Music Awards in 2015. Their debut album, The Hanging Gardens of Beatenberg also won Album Of The Year that year, and they took home the prize for Group Of The Year.

THE BAND

Previously signed with the Universal Music Group, Beatenberg is currently independent. “We’ve been very lucky in a way, because we’ve really seen all the different sides of the industry. So, we started really small, playing small little shows where people were talking in the audience, you know, or at little pubs. And then started playing festivals and then we obviously had a lot of success in 2014, 2015, even in SA.” The Covid-19 pandemic urged them to rethink where they were at, though and they find themselves in a new season. “We’re just a bit more mature now,” says Robin. “Yeah, we have a bit of experience behind us, which is really helpful I think.”

SOUTH AFRICAN BEATS ABROAD

Since then, the boys have been travelling the globe. In fact, Matthew and Ross are currently based in London, while Ross is located in Berlin. “I think we all ended up moving separately, even though it obviously works out for us as a band to be based in this part of the world. ’Cause the industry is still kind of more accessible here – just geographically,” says Matthew, who recently embarked on a solo career in addition to Beatenberg.

He adds that although South Africa’s music scene is growing and becoming more recognised globally, they moved abroad for their own independent reasons. He always imagined spending time in a different place, which is one of the reasons he moved to London. He just wanted to do something different. Being based in London and Berlin also makes last-minute tours like the recent George Ezra tour more manageable when it comes to logistics. Their manager is also based in the UK. “For me, that had a lot to do with it. Being here and working with him. Just as a base for expanding my career,” says Matthew.

Ross has always wanted to do his Masters in composition at Goldsmiths. “That was a big part of the last two years,” he says. “Just generally, working with more people, new people, you know, just expanding on all fronts.”

Still, since they’ve been away from home, Robin says he’s been noticing their South African roots in more ways than before. “I feel more South African in really good ways travelling now; being abroad, than I used to before.” He believes it affects their music on all kinds of levels. They want to show the world all the good things that come from South Africa, while also giving their fans some love. In the end, them being based abroad is what Robin calls a “really healthy life experience to expand your horisons.”

KEEPING IT FRESH

Beatenberg’s music brings a different colour to audiences abroad. It’s different. And while Matthew says there have been times where they felt that people were a bit slow to understand certain things that feel natural to them, people do react positively to their music. “You realise that everywhere in the world has its own kind of conventions, I suppose. I think it’s a positive thing that we can shake those up and its different. You know, people have to get used to it, but in general people are more and more interested in something fresh, which is really cool.”

TOURING WITH EZRA

After not playing together for almost three years, Beatenberg was psyched to jump on stage with the likes of George Ezra. Ross says having to perform in front of such a sizeable crowd after so long was a bit of a kick in the butt, but that it was great to just be on stage together again.

They commend George Ezra’s team for their professionalism and for treating them so well. In fact, they say it was one of the best experiences they’ve had. According to Ross it was inspiring since they’re also working towards having audiences like that someday.

George Ezra’s down-to-earth demeanour was another highlight of the tour. The way he spoke about his work and the albums he’s done, and how he balanced having fun and taking things seriously, performing in front of such huge crowds every night. Of course, the catering also deserves a mention. “Lovingly made food every day. It makes it a lot easier.” They had a crew of seventy people and a catering room that was set up every day. “They make a selection of things and there’s always like pudding and stuff,” says Matthew. Jokes aside, healthy, good food is a big deal for the Beatenberg boys. “We’re not teenagers anymore who just want to eat junk food and it doesn’t matter,” says Robin. For them, it was about “the whole experience of being together, more like a family vibe, quality of life.”

With that in mind, Robin adds that George Ezra is “so down to earth” and “really easy to be friends with. Really real.”

A SOUTH AFRICAN CHRISTMAS ON THE CARDS

The good news is that the boys are headed to South Africa this festive season and one of the reasons for their visit is to celebrate the release of their brand-new EP (or mini album) called On the way to Beatenberg, which was released November 10th. All six tracks on the EP - which they refer to as a very organic album when it comes to music and production - were recorded in one of their favourite recording spots, Sunset Recording Studios just outside Stellenbosch. The songs are from 2019’s summer in South Africa – very different to what they are currently working on for 2023.

The new year will see a brand-new album and while they can’t say much about it yet, there are definitely exciting times ahead! “We’re trying to make something powerful and strong; hopeful maybe,” says Robin.

BEATENBERG’S BRINGING THE BEAT THIS FESTIVE SEASON:

“December vibes,” is all Beatenberg’s about this holiday season. The boys will be in Joburg on 3 December, performing at Constitution Hill, with tickets available from Howler. This will be followed by a show at the Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts in Cape Town on 11 December, and you can book tickets to this event via Webtickets.

BEATENBERG’S SUMMER CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST

Beatenberg has put together a Summer Christmas Playlist specially for our readers. Scan the QR code to listen to their favourites this holiday season.