They consider themselves free thinkers, but it’s their whimsical quirkiness and simple honesty that makes Since Free very different to the current norm.
Bellville band, Since Free, is made up of Ronél van Lingen and Gershan Lombard.
Although the pair met four years ago, through mutual friends, they only started performing together earlier this year,
Ronél explains that she was approached to put together a musical and started jamming with Gershan for ideas. The two started writing together and as she says: “The songs were actually awesome.”
They now gig at least once or twice a week and practise regularly between writing new songs.
When asked about their name, Gershan says: “We had quite a struggle to get something. It’s a mindset thing,” he says, adding that they see themselves as free thinkers.
“We consider ourselves to be on the path of enlightenment,” Ronél says. “Since we started the band we have been free to make the music we want to,” she says.
Both Ronél and Gershan credit acoustic rock, acoustic folk, blues and indie as the influences behind their music. They describe their own music as “melodic, acoustic, alternative, rock”.
Ronél explains their writing process, saying that Gershan writes the music. “I conjure up the melody and lyrics,” she says. The two write in English and Afrikaans. “It depends which language the song speaks to me in,” Ronél points out.
“We try to keep as positive and open as possible,” Gershan says of Since Free’s lyrics. “We acknowledge the not so positive side of life, but mostly we try to enlighten people,” Ronél adds.
Gershan says it’s important for them to make their music meaningful. “It’s accessible without being commercial,” he points out.
Ronél, who has been writing since she was just nine, explains that she writes songs about her feelings and how she imagines others to be feeling.
“I’m an emotional writer,” she states.
Since Free recently recorded their first single, “Cherry Blossom Woman”, which has seen positive feedback from Taxi Radio and Zone Radio, where they have also already been interviewed on air.
The band’s plan now is to use money made at gigs to record an EP. They hope to make their music freely available and make money from festivals and shows.
Since Free will be performing on Wednesday 7 December at Alma Café and on Monday 19 December at the Barleycorn Club.
To find out more about the band, or to listen to their single, visit their Facebook Page or www.sincefree.com.