Ampie. (Photo: Provided)
The 44-year-old singer and songwriter, Ampie, describes himself as an “old soul” who longs for the times before the internet dominated life.
Nostalgia fills his heart when he looks back to the days when as a child he could still ride a bicycle in the streets at night and where you could really be alone without a mobile phone to keep you company.
His new single, “Royal Kalahari”, describes the exact feeling of being alone that he longs for. And, as Ampie explains, there are few places like under the Kalahari sky where you will fully experience that feeling.
The silence, wildlife, and breathtaking sunsets he experienced on his friend’s Kalahari farm were penned down in these lyrics.
“If someone hasn’t been to the Kalahari and experienced that purple, red, orange and yellow sunset, they don’t know what a beautiful sunset is. It’s so much more beautiful than what we see at the sea,” says Ampie.
“In that environment you can get away from everyone and everything and just take in nature. And I also included a lot of the wildlife in that environment in the song.”
Ampie describes music as something that is inherently part of our culture, but adds that we currently live in a world where it has become superficial and instant.
“I’m now trying to make music again the way it sounded before society ruined it for me,” says Ampie.
“I try to write things that are beautiful to me, songs that I would listen to when I was younger, like Laurika Rauch or Koos du Plessis’s music. People who could really compose and write stories.”
Ampie was 17 years old when he released his first album in 1999, something that didn’t just happen in those years. He undertook the project together with Jacques de Wet, then a first-year student at the University of Pretoria.
It is this very album that finally convinced him to consider a career in the music industry.
(Photo: Provided)
“After that I was part of quite a few projects and music groups, such as A Man like Jan, after which I decided to go on my own in 2012. In the meantime, I released two or three more albums, but times changed and a greater focus began to be placed on singles.”
Ampie believes that his experience as an artist has shaped him a lot as a person.
“If you’re young and you practice music, you never really have a steady job. This makes a big financial move like buying a car or a house almost impossible, since you can’t take out a loan. I soon learned that it’s better to save for something and then buy it. It wasn’t necessarily a bad idea either, because I could never sink myself with potential debt,” says Ampie.
“I also learned a lot about people and their personalities. Nowadays, I can quickly sum up someone’s personality and know how to work with them for the best outcome.”
Ampie believes now more than ever that it is the smartest move for South African artists to manage their love for music as a hobby.
“There are very few South African artists who can really only practice music and live a progressive life. If there comes a time when you can focus fully on your music and still do well, enjoy it, but don’t start living with the premise that you’re going to be able to sustain it for the rest of your life,” says Ampie.
“It’s a sad reality, but it’s the reality. That’s why I don’t just focus on my music, but work in financial management as well. If music is your passion, make it your hobby. And if it’s pouring rain, you have to create, but don’t create and spend, work smart with your money.”