The very talented
Kathalijne van Zutphen interviews and photographs
Cape Town's singing sensation Verity. Here they share with us how Verity’s incredible journey home takes her across the world...
Words: Kathalijne van Zutphen - photography: www.kathalijne.com
Verity is the singer of Verity & the Shades, a band from Cape Town, and the first person in South Africa to sell her album before it was released.
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I had the pleasure of doing a photo shoot with Verity a while back and she told me about the journey she’s been on since she first wrote her very first song on Noordhoek beach on her 20th birthday.
Verity was studying Psychology at UCT at the time and while sitting on the beach contemplating recent events, she felt the need to write down what was on her mind. When she read it back she realized she had in fact written her first song.
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Verity continued honing her skills as a writer, taking singing lessons and building up a steady online following. After being awarded a working visa for singing in the U.S.A. she spent time in Nashville in 2005.
When I asked Verity what the most valuable lesson was she learnt there, the answer was that even while performing for an international audience was a great experience, she also realized that she didn’t want to be another American recording artist and that her roots were firmly set in Africa.
After 7 months Verity came back to Cape Town, and had enough songs to fill an entire album but struggled to find somebody who would fund her recording it. In order to take matters into her own hands Verity set up her own record company, Lucky Packet Records, and got the idea of selling her album 'Journey' online first and recording it once the money had been raised. Verity sold 2,000 records to 25 countries like this *and* donated R30,000 to two South African charities in the process (POWA & the Live Your Dreams Foundation).
Since the release of the album lots of people, in the business industry especially, have taken notice of how Verity went about fulfilling her dream and are now inviting her to speak at their companies and conferences.
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It is amazing how somebody can stay so true to herself and by doing so enabling herself to meet people with very different backgrounds and to travel the world as well. Plenty of reason to give Verity a call and ask her some questions.
Portfolio Travel Blog : You are originally from Zimbabwe, do you remember what your first impressions were of South Africa?
Verity: We moved to Plettenberg Bay and lived there for a year before moving to Cape Town. Coming from a landlocked country and then coming here and living by the ocean was amazing. I had never seen the ocean before.
PTB: What do you love about living in Cape Town?
V: Most definitely its geography. Cape Town’s setting with the mountains and oceans is incredible.
PTB: Any tips for out of towners visiting the Mother City?
PTB: How did you get the idea of selling your album first and recording it second?
V: I was talking to my sister one day and getting some of my frustrations out, and my sister mentioned the 'Six Thinking Hats' (by Edward de Bono). We did an exercise that took about 30 minutes and that was how we came up with it.
PTB: What was your inspiration behind the album?
V: Basically my life has been a source of inspiration for writing my songs; from losing my father, to falling in love, to living in South Africa and going from Apartheid to democracy.
PTB: Your are so busy with music, acting, motivational speaking, being a freelancer myself I have to ask you how you keep yourself motivated, how do you keep up putting yourself out there again and again?
V: I feel compelled to write, to sing and to speak and I feel like I have something to say as well. I know what it is to feel hopeless at times and want to offer hope to others.
PTB: What are you working on now?
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V: I just came back from an interview with Top Billing and am very busy with motivational speaking as well. In fact I'll be traveling to England & Belgium next month to speak at The Entrepreneurs World Cup . In the meantime we are working on new songs and looking at dates for recording the next album which should be some time next year.
PTB: Any advice to young singers or actresses out there?
V: Build up a following and support online. Get feedback on your work and allow other people to contribute to what you're doing so you yourself can grow.
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PTB: When are you performing next?
V: Nov 11th Zula Bar, Cape Town or on Nov 21st Zimfest, Tulbagh
Thanks so much to Kathalijne & Verity. If you want to get in touch with either of them, you can do so by leaving a comment below, or by going to their website at:
