The lead singer of Die Antwoord is known as Yo-landi Visser. It is easy to recognize and difficult to forget thanks to an alien hairstyle, white eyebrows, as well as the ability to combine a nice little voice with an aggressive reading. Many interesting facts remain behind the scenes, and they will be discussed in the article.
Origin and childhood
The biography of the lead singer Die Antwoord does not begin in the most rosy way. The girl does not know her biological parents. Presumably, the mother was white, and the father was a representative of the Negroid race. As the girl herself suspects, her relatives could force her mother to abandon the child in connection with racial conflicts within the country.
The girl was taken up by a religious family - a priest and a housewife. Yolandi had an older brother, who was also adopted. She was always oppressed by the strict foundations of the family and the conservative atmosphere of the provincial town of Port Alfred, in which childhood passed. The child grew up problematic and wayward. The Catholic school of St. Dominic for girls could not pacify the complex character. At the age of 16, Yolandi became a participant in a school fight, as a result of which she was expelled.
The beginning of the musical path
A difficult teenager was sent to study at the Praetorian boarding school 9 hours drive from home. Here the atmosphere was more creative, peers - more advanced. She admits that at the boarding school she finally found like-minded people and felt free.
A classmate of our heroine was fond of experiments in the program for creating music FL-studio. As one of them, he recorded a composition with the voice of Yolandi, which was positively accepted and disseminated by classmates. So, the future star at the age of 16 first tried herself as a participant in a creative project. But the girl did not take this experiment seriously and did not build further musical plans.
Meet the Ninja
After leaving school at the age of 18, Yolandi with foster parents moved to a more developed Cape Town to find some work. Like most peers, she often visited clubs. In one of them, Yolandi soon met a young guy named Watkin Tudor Jones. Then he raped in a local band, and is now known as a Ninja. This acquaintance was a fateful event for young people.
At first they just hung together. The ninja was impressed by the girl’s unusual voice and saw the potential for creating interesting collaborative compositions. The future lead singer of Die Antwoord did not understand music at all and did not believe in her abilities in this direction. But she was interested in what the Ninja was doing. He promised to enlighten the girl in hip-hop and to teach everything. Yolandi became the rapper's personal assistant and participated in some recordings. Gradually, an understanding of musical culture appeared, the ability to control one’s voice and rap.
The birth of a daughter
Soon, the girl became pregnant. In 2004, she had a girl named Sistine. Young parents tried to establish a more serious relationship for the sake of the child. However, it did not work out. Both realized that the marriage would not end, and decided to remain friends. However, both parents are actively involved in raising a child from the very beginning.
Some time after the birth of the child, Yolandi dropped out of her usual lifestyle and was engaged in education. While all friends spent at parties, smoking weed, she was forced to learn to be a responsible mother. The girl admits that at some points it was insulting, but it was worth it. And along with the growing up of a daughter in the head of a young mother, creative plans ripened.
Birth of Die antwoord and soloist style
After the collapse of the next group, in which he read the Ninja, in 2007 Yolandi invited him to create a joint. As a DJ, the team took a mutual friend known as DJ Hi-Tek. Experiments and searches for style did not last long. Almost immediately, the direction of the group was determined - zef-rap (the more common name for rap-rave). Soloist Die Antwoord characterizes him as the music of garbage, who have no money but have style.
It was necessary to create a memorable image for each participant. Yolandi then was a typical pretty young blonde from the category of Britney Spears. Fateful changes occurred in 2009. The group was filming its first clip, and the girl did not want to agree with the image of the cutie that the director saw in her. The ninja said, “Well, let's just do it!” And shaved her whiskey. And so the famous hairstyle of the front fog was born. She admits that she felt extraordinary energy and inspiration from how her appearance reflects her internal state. Since then, only the Ninja has touched the singer’s hair.
In the photo of the soloist Die antwoord, her hairstyle is amazing.
Actor career
David Fincher offered the performer to star in the main role in his film “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”. She categorically refused negotiations, despite the statements of others that it was unforgivable to miss such an opportunity. Yolandi justified her choice by the fact that she wanted to devote herself completely to music, to do what she knew how and how she felt. Be true to yourself, even if it’s wrong in terms of commercial success. In addition, filming would practically take at least a year of life, which was an unacceptable luxury, given the need to achieve musical goals and raise a child.
However, it can still be seen on the big screen. In 2014, he and the Ninja played themselves in the movie "A Robot Called Chappie." There are several possible reasons for agreeing to shoot. He was influenced by the Ninja, who was always more ambitious. Probably the loyalty to the proposal and the South African descent of the director Blomkamp aroused. But the most important factor, most likely, was the lack of the need to transform on the screen into another character, the ability to remain yourself. Be that as it may, participation in the film had a good effect on the recognition of the musicians.
Children
In addition to his own daughter Sistine, the lead singer Die Antwoord has a adopted son Tokka. She adopted a boy from a poor family who could not provide him with decent content and education. Yolandi met him wandering the streets of Jobburg and at first just picked up Tokki on the weekend. But she soon realized that this was not an option, that the promising boy would be lost in the slums. And she took it under her wing completely.
Yolandi admits that in childhood she was very difficult, she felt like a stranger and unnecessary to anyone. She has an almost family connection with street children; they cause special sympathy.
Despite the defiant image, according to eyewitnesses, the singer is an exemplary and caring mother. To spend more time with her daughter, parents take her on tour and shoot videos. In some of them, the baby even took part.
Interesting Facts
Many will be interested in:
- Many do not know what the name of the soloist Die antwoord really is - Henri du Tua. She chose such a stage name because she simply fell in love with the popular South African name Yolandi. He says that in her life she knew more than 30 girls with that name. And since the group creates in Zef culture, this name fits perfectly. As a pleasant bonus for herself, the soloist calls that the name begins with YO!
- The girl was born on December 1, 1984. She is a Sagittarius in the zodiac sign, and a Rat in the eastern horoscope. And now you can calculate how old the lead singer Die antwoord!
- Yolandi is a very petite girl. Height - 1.55 cm, weight - 45 kg. Approximate parameters: 79-53-81. The singer is not predisposed to be overweight, but due to her busy touring schedule, her weight is constantly decreasing.
- Favorite musicians: NIrvana, Nine Inch Nails, Cypress Hill, Aphex Twin, Marylin Manson, Eminem.
- The name of the group Die Antwoord in translation means "Answer". In recent interviews, the soloist expressed the idea of ​​changing the name to a more understandable "ZEF" in honor of the street culture they represent.
- In 2013, Yolandi moved to Los Angeles. Due to the great popularity in South Africa, she practically does not appear without protection.
- Poorly informed people believe that Yolandi and the Ninja are married. Fans have long dreamed that they would still be together. But there is absolutely no information about the personal life of the soloist Die Antwoord. However, the ninja is now officially married. And Yolandi has repeatedly argued that they have long been connected only by music.