Karin Hougaard

Izimvo is truly honoured to introduce singer-songwriter, poet, artist, writer and actress: Karin Hougaard.

Karin has endured the test of time and has become a true icon of South African music. Since her debut as teen singing sensation in the early 1980’s, Karin has released 9 award-winning albums and has various compilations and singles to her name. Karin has also appeared in various stage productions across Europe and South Africa as well appearing in many television programs.

Karin is currently working on a various new projects including a new solo show called Die Boom which she will perform in The Netherlands.

Website: http://www.karinhougaard.co.za
Twitter: http://twitter.com/KarinHougaard
Karin’s YouTube Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/karinhougaard
Facebook Fan Page
Location: United States

Karin was kind enough to answer the following questions:

Personal

Q: The all important personal profile. How would a close friend introduce you at a social event? i.e. Name, age, company, interesting fact etc.

A: My first name only – nobody at a social remembers one’s last name – unless it’s one of those pain in the butts who tries to impress you by knowing everyone at the party’s names after being introduced only once! (I guess truthfully I envy being able to do that).

Q: Tell us something that not many others know about you. This could be anything from a phobia to your favorite movie.

A: My bookshelf is arranged by theme and as far as possible I try to keep it alphabetically.

Q: What do you enjoy doing when you want to get away from it all?

A: Scuba diving…if all else fails I take a bath and lie in the tub with my ears submerged!

Q: How would you describe your dream holiday home and where in South African would you want it to be?

A: I already have that little hide-away, it’s right on the water’s edge in KZN hidden on the Wild Coast. What I cherish most is the sound of the waves crashing on the beach and the Dassies and Duijkers who visit the garden.

This question was proudly sponsored by Private Property. Looking to build your ultimate holiday home? How about this R12m 4057m prime beach-front property in Uvongo.

South African Music

Q: Your music career started at the age of 16 when you become the youngest ever winner of the South African talent competition, Crescendo. What are your thoughts on talent competitions such as Crescendo and American Idol?

A: I think competitions are wonderful platforms for up and coming artists, however sadly more often than not mentoring is not available for a young winner. This often results in very young artists not being able to sustain a career due to a lack of experience and the skills to deal with overnight fame.

Crescendo catapulted me into a music career – but it was up to me how I utilized the opportunities. I had parents who were wise and thanks to them I attended university like any regular kid.

The downside was – being very young when I started out – I had to grow up in the public eye with very little margin for error career wise. Also becoming an adult also influenced how I looked at my music and musical choices, gradually I reinvented myself from a teen pop star into a mature more serious artist. This is not easy to do, but thankfully I seemed to have survived change.

Q: Besides an illustrious music career your are also an accomplished actress, artist and poet. Which of these disciplines have you found to be most rewarding?

A: Each of the disciplines addresses a different aspect of my creativity. Each has its own very specific challenges – I feel blessed that they compliment each other and make me a more rounded person and artist. There just is no way I can choose between them – I am the sum of all these parts.

Q: Which of your numerous accolades are you most proud of?

A: I think the fact that one of my compositions “By My” from my last album HARTSTUKKE has been recorded (separately) by 2 of The Netherland’s most prominent singers – Paul de Leeuw and Herman van Veen and there’s a third version of the song being recorded by a young Dutch artist even as we speak! I love the fact that my music transcends borders and get to take on a new life and meaning of their own.

Also the fact that one of my songs lyrics, Kruietuin is prescribed for Grade 11 Afrikaans as poetry. It’s a huge compliment.

Q: Are there any young South African acts that have recently caught your attention?

A: I love the poetry of Kabous Verwoed – he regularly performs his poetry and a few well-known SA composers wrote musical scores / musical backdrops – against which he speaks his poetry. His latest project is called “Reiswoorde”.

Q: Can you give us an insight into your creative process. What comes first, the lyrics, the melody or does it depend on the song?

A: Many things inspire me, a smell, a phrase, a sound and therefore it is very unpredictable how the process will happen. It actually varies from song to song – sometimes it’s the melody first, or a lyric first or both simultaneously! Sorry no easy recipe!

Q: What can we look forward to from Karin Hougaard in the years ahead?

A: I am currently working on my new show for the 2010/2011 concert season in Europe. It is called Die Boom / The Tree. It is multi-lingual (Dutch, Afrikaans, English) and I’m currently writing music, poetry and texts for the project. Hopefully this will (as usual) culminate in an album. Also I am due to play one of the 2 leads in a Dutch play called Juliette written and directed by Dutch artist Herman van Veen for the 2011/2012 theatre season. I’m also still painting on the sly – so hopefully an exhibition will follow sometime…

Life in South Africa

Q: What about South African life do you miss the most living in the States?

A: The ease with which all South Africans laugh and our very unique, warm sense of humor. Hearing my mother tongue and being able to express myself in it – being a word person I sorely miss Afrikaans. Naturally – it goes without saying – I miss biltong, blatjang, boerbeskuit, melktert and a good Boere Braai immensely!

Q: When asked internationally about crime in South Africa, what is your response?

A: It is always so difficult to answer I do not want to focus on the negative, there are so many great things about SA. But when asked I try to explain the vast levels of poverty we battle with and how it impacts on our society. Crime is one of the many ugly faces caused by poverty, a lack of education and the breakdown of a society’s moral fibre.

Q: Which three South African attractions would you recommend an international visitor?

A: Constitution Hill and the Apartheid museum, any of our brilliant Game Reserves, Cradle of Humankind.

Q: If you could bring anything from America back to South Africa, what would it be?

A: Their unbelievable sense of national pride and unity as a country despite the differences. Their can-do attitude. I think we as a people can do with such a continued and sustained feeling of pride and belief that we can achieve anything.

Q: South Africa’s greatest musical export is?

A: Here in the USA Honda just ran a television ad featuring the song Pata Pata, so I think few voices are so well-known in the entire world as that of Miriam Makeba.

General

Q: Which of your lyrics would you most like to be remembered for?

A: I have written many songs and each of them hold a special meaning for me personally, to me they are like children and I cannot pick a favourite. I can only hope that somewhere in the wide world someone will listen to my songs and that the lyrics will touch them and they will be remembered.

Q: Do you follow any rituals before getting up on stage to perform?

A: I take three very deep breaths and if I’m not in a play portraying a character – but singing my own concert – I take off my shoes!

Gated Community - one of Karin's paintings

Q: If you could invite any three South Africans to an intimate dinner party, who would you invite and which of your albums would you play in the background?

A: Ideally Madiba, Elizabeth Eybers (were she still alive) and William Kentridge. I will play no music since when there’s music in the background my mind keeps wandering towards it and I do not want to miss a word.

Q: Where would you like to wake up tomorrow

A: Just waking up would be very nice!

Q: Who would you most like to read about on Izimvo and what would you like to ask them?

A: If this were a hypothetical interview (because I’m not sure I want to afford him the exposure!) – Mr Julius Malema. I would like to ask him how he envisages the ideal South Africa, because I don’t get where’s he’s going with his rhetoric.

We’d like to thank Karin for taking the time to answer our questions and wish her every success for the future.

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