liela groenewald

Liela Groenewald takes audiences on a musical magic carpet ride. Expect haunting vocals, melodies for the langpad, and nourishment of the soul. Book Liela Groenewald or her LM Kollektiv show by sending an e-mail to za.folkpunk@gmail.com. For info on forthcoming public shows, go to the Gigs page. And do follow these links to follow Liela on Facebook or Twitter. You can also check out the latest clips on Liela’s Youtube channel.

Liela’s debut album, Horison, is available here: .

Liela’s music career is built on solo performances at taverns and festivals across South Africa. In particular, she has a legacy of shows at Joburg’s most infamous defunct music bars, the Abelarde Sanction and the Bohemian, and at South Africa’s premier music festival, Oppikoppi. She has also appeared live at the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK) in Oudtshoorn, including a full band slot at Kaktus op die Vlaktes, at the InnieBos festival (Nelspruit), at a host of other music venues, and has been featured on the legendary music shows aired on South African television, including Die Wasgoedlyn, Jam, and Draadloos (all KykNet), and earlier, Geraas (SABC).

Musicians who have backed Liela at live performances over the years include Albert Frost (guitar), Jonathan Crossley (guitar), Anton Lamour (guitar), Rian Malan (guitar), Louis Mhlanga (guitar), protegé Valiant Swart (guitar), Chris “Waterkloof Jones” Vermaak (guitar), Drikus “Brixton” Barnard (bass), Emile Botha (bass), Cesare Cassarino (bass), Nelson Enaiho (bass), Schalk Joubert (bass), Simon Kruger (bass), Gideon Malherbe (bass), Grenville Williams (bass), Ashley van Wyk (bass, piano), Roland Moses (keys), Magdalize Carstens (oboe), Lochner de Kock (gembe), Peter Auret (drums / percussion & production), Shayo Aribilola (drums), Michael Canfield (drums), Samuel Ibeh (drums), Kotie Geldenhuys (drums), Ockert Greeff (drums / percussion), Jerome Reynard (drums), Vernon Swart (drums / percussion), and Riku Lätti / Victor Wolf (accordian, shaker), and recently, a left-handed guitarist of legendary musicality, Mervin Williams.

Liela was also godmother of a project spawned to hit back at the overwhelming persistence of patriarchy in the music industry and in the internet, called ‘Bra’s met Bakke’ . Use a google search term of your choice, you’ll quickly see that it is far easier to find pics of men than of women who actually play guitar in a fully-clothed fashion, it is also very easy to stumble upon sex-crazy women caressing guitars, but quite hard to find alluring pics of men and their instruments. In response, Liela rolled out the Bra’s Met Bakke project as tongue-in-cheek encouragement to objectify men with guitars. Bra’s met Bakke (presently on hold) can be found here. Simply like Liela’s facebook page to show support and see relevant news in your feed.

Earlier, Liela performed for several years as backing vocalist for Koos Kombuis, veteran of the Afrikaans anti-elite Voëlvry rock tour, and booked and advertised gigs for Koos Kombuis and the Valiant Swart Band in their early careers. Other than
Koos Kombuis, artists with whom Liela has performed include Andries “Roof” Bezuidenhout, Valiant Swart, Gert Vlok Nel, Riku Lätti, and Karla du Plessis.

Back in 1999, Liela and Andries “Roof” Bezuidenhout shared the Abelarde prize for best folk artist. In 2000, Liela won the Abelarde prize for best female vocalist, whereas in 2001, the Abelarde stewards called it a tie between Liela and Karen Zoid.

*Liela is also a Sociologist specialising in corporate social responsibility, public management, the post-apartheid state, urban citizenship, informal settlement.
*In May 1994, Liela marketed and helped pull together the first ever band weekend at Oppikoppi, where she met Chris “Motorkar” Mortimer, who built the original top-bar stage at Oppikoppi. Together, Chris and Liela are the proud parents of Malaika (13) and Nicolas (6) and, at the pleasure of Oppikoppi founder couple Boors and Tes Bornmann, the inaugural (2015) recipients of the Oppikoppi top bar award.