It all started in September 2014, when CJ van Wyk, Jaco Steyn (Stix), Naledi Mohapi, and Sam Akach joined musical forces to form the band, Simple Stories.
After years of serenading fellow students on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State, the keyboardist, guitarist, percussionist, and lead vocalist respectively, decided unanimously to record an Extended Play (EP) of their début single: Simple story.
Simple story will be released for free download on SoundCloud on 30 January 2016. The song is the band’s first original, and captures the essence of what the group stands for.
What is Simple Story all about?
Their music is inspired by each of the band member’s lived experiences, and their collective love for different genres such as Hip Hop, Jazz and Blues, Rock, and Classical music.
“Put all those different genres together and you get Simple Stories,” said Stix.
The band has not chosen a specific genre yet, as evident in their Facebook profile, which reads: “don’t put us in a box”.
Going places
In 2015, Simple Stories won the Bloem Show Talent Search and a grand prize of R10 000. They were also nominated in the Best Newcomer and Best Afrikaans categories of the Golden Bean Free State Music Awards, and walked away with a trophy for the latter.
“We’ve only been together for 16 months, so I think the things we have achieved and experienced, and the opportunities that have been handed to us on a silver platter, are things any other musicians can only dream of. It’s definitely overwhelming,” said CJ.
To download the debut single, keep a look out for the link on the Simple Stories Facebook page.