Gizelle
Bio
Gizelle Biografie (Scroll down for English Biography)
Met 'n vroeë waardering en geniet van musiek het Gizelle haar familie en vriende reeds van jongsdag af vermaak. Op Hoërskool Die Wilgers, Pretoria, staan sy vir die eerste keer solo voor 'n gehoor op die verhoog in die skool se jaarlikse musiekblyspel. Dit is hier, op Hoërskool, en later ook op Universiteit – waar sy Ingenieurswese aan die Universitet van Pretoria studeer – wat liedjies verrassend en verbasend uit haar pen begin vloei.
Die skryfproses het eers as terapie gedien, 'n manier om lewensgeheime en ervaringe te verwerk en later met haar luisteraars te deel. Hierdie intieme verhouding met die luisteraar word voortgesit in die innemende manier waarop sy haar liedjies vertolk.
Van haar eerste skeppings, Faam en Donker Pad, word in 2003 op goeie vriend Adam Tas se debuut album Nag Van Die Nerf ingesluit. Gizelle verskyn saam met Adam op die TV program Geraas, aangebied deur Jacques du Preez, tydens die album launch by Papa's in Hatfield, Pretoria. Hulle betree ook die planke saam in 2003 by die KKNK waar hul saam met Illimar Neitz (Gordon's Suitcase) Adam se Nag van die Nerf produksie aanbied in die Oudtshoorn Inn.
Donker Pad word opgeneem in die kompilasie Volk Jou Ook wat in 2003 deur Wildebeest Records uitgegee is. Hierdie alternatiewe kyk na Afrikaanse volksmusiek sluit ook skeppings deur Seeleeu Leipoldt, Bacchus Nel, Jan Blohm en Adam Tas in. In en om Pretoria word die album met verskeie optredes, o.a. by die Sin Bin en Steak 'n Ale, en deur media dekking ondersteun.
Met haar verskuiwing na Johannesburg begin Gizelle saam met kennisse weekliks by Cafe Avé, Greenside, optree. Sondagaande het Gizelle vir die eerste keer die verhoog sien deel met Riku Lätti, Bacchus Nel, Albert de Vos, Marcia Moon, James Botes, Fritz Blitz en Andre Duister (Swartskaap) en Wysdiman. Waardevolle ondervinding en vriende in die musiekbedryf volg uit hierdie lewendige optredes.
Met die ontwikkeling van meer en meer liedjies speel Gizelle haar volksgeïnspireerde liedjies ook meer onlangs saam met hierdie vriende asook die legendariese Andries Bezuidenhout en Albert Frost en ander kunstenaars soos Myburgh, Benedikt Sebastian, De Javu en Stander by venues soos die Bohemian, Back2Basix, Café Arc, Steak ‘n Ale en Café Barcelona asook met die vertoning van die film Kammakastig Land by The House of Nsako. Met die Pampoene Oppi Dak musiekfees by die Liedjieboer in Desember 2008, deel Gizelle die verhoog ook met talle ander opkomende en gevestigde Afrikaanse kunstenaars.
Na die opname van 'n paar "demo" albums ontmoet Gizelle uiteindelik die ervare Arnaud van Vliet (Blue Chameleon, Battery 9, Radio Lava met Riku Lätti) in 2007. Dit is in sy ateljee waar die debuut album Begin gebore word en Arnaud verleen 'n defnitiewe eklektiese elektroniese klank aan Gizelle se skeppings. Met elektroniese klawerborde en akoestiese en elektriese kitare word die musiek tot nuwe hoogtes gelig, maar tog bly haar ongewone stem en lirieke op die voorgrond.
Begin se liedjies varieer in tema van opbouende krete van geluk en vrywees tot meer insiggewende en introspektiewe snitte waar klank en woord aangewend word om die atmosfeer te beklemtoon. Van die ligter, meer vrolike lirieke in sommige snitte word in perspektief geplaas deur die meer emosioneel eksploratiewe idees in ander.
Van die land se voorste musikante maak musiek op Begin. Gizelle en Arnaud sorg vir die akoestiese kitare. Buiten die musiekverwerking, word ook Arnaud se fyn kennis van die elektriese kitaar verken, saam met 'n bietjie banjo. Hy behartig ook die klawerborde en elektroniese atmosferatieks. Cesare Cassarino, ook van Battery 9 faam, se baskitaar verleen 'n presiese, alhoewel funky, basis waarvan die musiek net kan groei. Een van Suid-Afrikaanse musiek se bekendste drommers, Peter Auret, verskaf perfekte ritmes vir Begin en na werk saam met Watershed, Johnathan Crossley en Riku Lätti kan daar geen twyfel oor sy talent wees nie. Hierdie eksplosiewe kombinasie van instrumentale talent met Gizelle se meesleurende melodieë en raakvat lirieke maak van Begin waarlik 'n luiserryke en verassende ervaring.
Gizelle skep ook onlangs die liedjie Color Blind in samewerking met die Soweto groep Monarch. Die liedjie, waarin Gizelle die Afrikaanse lirieke bydra en Monarch in Engels en Zoeloe die vredesboodsakp voltooi, is deur Riku Lätti opgeneem. Gizelle en Monarch lewer ook ‘n lewendig opvoering van Color Blind op ‘n uitsending van Soweto TV in 2008.
Gizelle Biography
With an early appreciation for music, Gizelle started entertaining friends and family at a young age. At high school at Hoërskool Die Wilgers in Pretoria, she delivers her first solo performance as part of the school's annual musical. Her surprising song writing starts here and continues through her years at the University of Pretoria, where she studies Industrial and Systems Engineering.
The song writing process serves as her therapy – a way for her to first deal with her experiences privately before sharing them with listeners. This intimate relationship with the audience is continued in the poignant way in which she delivers her songs.
Some of her very first creations, Faam and Donker Pad, are included in good friend Adam Tas's debut album Nag Van Die Nerf in 2003. Gizelle and Adam appear on the TV program Geraas, then presented by Jacques du Preez, during the album launch at Papa's in Hatfield, Pretoria. They also appear together on stage at the 2003 KKNK where, together with Illimar Neitz (Gordon's Suitcase), they perform Adam's Nag van die Nerf production at the Oudtshoorn Inn.
Donker Pad later gets included in the Volk Jou Ook compilation album of 2003, released by Wildebeest Records. This alternative look at Afrikaans folk music also included work by Seeleeu Leipoldt, Bacchus Nel, Jan Blohm and Adam Tas. The album is followed by various performances and media coverage in and around Pretoria.
With her move to Johannesburg in 2005, Gizelle begins to perform at Café Ave, Greenside, regularly. Sunday nights saw Gizelle for the first time sharing a stage with artists such as Riku Lätti, Bacchus Nel, Albert de Vos, Marcia Moon, James Botes, Fritz Blitz and Andre Duister (Swartskaap) and Wysdiman. Valuable experience and friends in the music industry result from these live performances.
As more and more songs flow from her pen, Gizelle continues to perform with these friends and Afrikaans music legends such as Andries Bezuidenhout and Albert Frost and fellow artists Myburgh, Benedikt Sebastian, De Javu and Stander at venues like the Bohemian, Back2Basix, Café Arc, Steak ‘n Ale, Café Barcelona and The House of Nsako. At the "Pampoene Oppi Dak" music festival at the Liedjieboer in December 2008, Gizelle also shares a stage with various other upcoming and established Afrikaans artists.
After recording a couple of demo albums, Gizelle finally meets the experienced producer and musician Arnaud van Vliet (Blue Chameleon, Battery 9, Radio Lava with Riku Lätti) in 2007. It is in his studio that her debut album "Begin" is born, with Arnaud bringing a uniquely eclectic electronic sound to Gizelle's folk. Synthesizers and acoustic and electric guitar raise her music to new heights, yet her unusual voice and distinctive lyrics remain central throughout.
The songs on "Begin" vary in theme from motivational cries of happiness and freedom to more insightful and introspective tracks where sound combine with words to create a thrilling atmosphere that brings her message home. The more upbeat, light-hearted lyrics in some of the tracks are brought into perspective by the more emotionally explorative ideas in others.
Some of the country's leading musicians collaborate on "Begin". Gizelle and Arnaud both play acoustic guitar and Arnaud also takes care of the production, electric guitar, banjo, synthesizers and electronic programming. Cesare Cassarino (Battery 9) on bass provides a precise, although funky, base from which the music can only but grow. One of South African music's most talented drummers, Peter Auret, gives perfect rhythm to "Begin" and after his work with Watershed, Johnathan Crossley and Riku Lätti there can be no more doubting his talent. This explosive combination of instrumental talent with Gizelle's intriguing melodies and cutting edge lyrics make for a surprising listening experience in her debut album "Begin".
Gizelle also collaborated with the Soweto group Monarch in creating the track Color Blind. This song, in which Gizelle contributes the Afrikaans lyrics while Monarch completes the message of peace in English and Zulu, was recently recorded by Riku Lätti. Gizelle and Monarch also performed Color Blind live together on Soweto TV in 2008.
Kontak details:
Gizelle
lerouxg@ael.co.za
Vetseun
vetseun1@gmail.com
Gizelle bookings contact information
Gizelle
0832641959
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