Meet Jeremy Olivier, one of our very own South Peninsula Dads, doing us proud as he embarks on his journey on The Voice SA.
Please tell us a bit about yourself. Where you’re from originally, where you live now… (remember this is for peeps from our hood), how you met Nicole?
I was born in Zambia, raised in Zimbabwe and then came to Cape Town to get refined :-). I studied at the University of Cape Town where I gained a BMus Honours degree in Jazz performance and have been a professional musician ever since. I met Nicole during my second year of varsity (she rugby tackled me after a church service where I had been playing one evening … at least that’s my version of the story ;-)) and we were married a year later. When we chatted over coffee that night, it felt like I had known her my whole life and I knew I had met my soul mate. 18 years and 5 kids later – life is more beautiful than ever!
When did music grab hold of you for the first time?
When I was 13, I saw my older sister playing the guitar and I thought it looked cool, so I tried it. It grabbed me instantly. It was love at first sight!
Your family? Kids?
We have 5 kids: 4 biological and 1 adopted son, Noah. Noah’s story and how he came to be in our family is a really special one which we tell in the song, Beautiful.
The competition:
How did it come about that you were at the Blind auditions for The Voice?
A good friend and colleague in the music industry prompted me to audition. I was about to go to Holland on a mini tour and Nicole and I weren’t sure if the show would fit into our plans, so I actually decided against entering initially. A short while later, the guys from Gangs of Ballet were at my gig in Cape Town. I hadn’t met them before, so we sat and chatted after my performance. They said they were blown away by my voice and asked why they hadn’t heard of me before. I told them that most people know my music from the radio, but don’t know me as the artist. They asked if I’d heard about The Voice SA and suggested I enter. I told them I had declined, and they said I should seriously reconsider as they felt it was going to be an awesome show and the perfect platform for an artist in my position. They were right! I came home that evening, told Nicole to sign me up, and the rest is now history!
You can listen to the coaches response on The Voice SA website.
Where were the auditions held, and were you only allowed two family members to join you? How did you choose?
The initial pre-auditions were held in Cape Town and I was fortunate enough to get through and go on to the Blinds, which were held in Johannesburg. Yes, they accommodate two supporters per contestant. We chose our eldest, Jesse-Grace, to join my wife in support.
How were you feeling when you walked out onto the stage?
I felt a complete sense of calm walking out onto that stage. I had a real zen moment in the afternoon and it enabled me to take everything in. I had made peace with the fact that the coaches may not turn around, and I was ok with that being part of my journey.
And when ALL 4 judges turned around so quickly?
The only word that came to mind was ‘validation’ 🙂
What do you hope to achieve by taking part in this competition?
Definitely exposure. What an awesome platform it has been so far! I’ve been blown away by the public’s response!
How can the people of the South Peninsula support you?
Keep watching the show. Keep sharing my videos. The support has been overwhelming so far! Huge thanks to everyone who has watched, shared and sent amazing messages.
What’s next for you in the competition?
Next step is the Battle Rounds. Wish me luck!
