Meet #TeamBobby’s Voices
YOUNGSTERS: VAN JAARSVELD BACKS INEXPERIENCED SINGERS CHASING THEIR DREAM
Three competitors manage to gain all four red chairs in blind auditions.
Afrikaans pop singer Bobby van Jaarsveld has put together a team comprising some of the youngest performers in The Voice SA this season, showing that he is willing to back more inexperienced, up-and-coming hopefuls in their dream of becoming established singers. In the past seven weeks of blind auditions for the show, the coach managed to gain three singers whose auditions were so strong that all four of the coaches turned their red chairs for them.
Alex Cavan (23) – from Port Elizabeth has been singing ever since he took part in an open mic night at a local bar. The Friendly City native sang a stripped down version of the 90s R&B classic No Diggity by Blackstreet, for which Bobby pressed his buzzer. Fellow coach Kahn Morbee lamented not turning for Alex, but this suited Bobby just fine, as he told Alex “I’m honoured to have you on my team!”
Caroline-Grace Brussow, 31, pictured – is a qualified at-
torney who was born and bred in Bloemfontein, which is also where she met her husband, Springbok rugby player Heinrich Brussow. Caroline is the full package of brains and talent, as she proved in her blind audition when she belted out Celine Dion’s Loved Me Back To Life. Coach Bobby turned for Caroline and recognised her almost immediately, revealing to his fellow coaches and the audience that she is married to Heinrich – who was sitting in the audience to support her.
Anchen Groenewald, 19 – is a pastor’s kid who spent most of her life travelling and living across South Africa, but considers Rustenburg home these days. After matriculating in 2015, Anchen took a gap year to focus on music, but it looks like she may have to extend it because her rendition of Lukas Graham’s 7 Years had Bobby turning and declaring to Anchen, “I’m on your team!”
Chad Jubber, 19, pictured – used to live in Johannesburg, but moved back to his birthplace, Pietermaritzburg, after his father passed away in 2013. He attended school in the picturesque village of Wartburg. His moving performance of local star Matthew Mole’s Autumn ensured him a spot on #TeamBobby, with his coach predicting that “South Africa is going to love you … a lot.”
Dawie de Jager, 33 – started
out his singing career as a member of the Afrikaans rock band Klopjag. More recently, Dawie immersed himself in the movie business, composing musical scores for big South African feature films. He also started an orchid business with his parents in between all of his musical endeavours! Dawie’s rendition of U2’s One in the blind auditions had both Karen and Bobby delighted to see him as they immediately recognised him, but it was Bobby – who admitted to stealing money from this mother as a youngster in order to buy a “Klopjag” album – that secured Dawie for his team.