Breindy and Matt – finalists for ‘indie’ songwriter awards

Johannesburg husband and wife music duo, Breindy and Matt Klawansky, have been chosen as finalists in two categories by the International Singer-Songwriters Association (ISSA), an organisation that has helped kickstart the careers of many international stars.

The duo, who refer to their music as an “ancient-Hebrew, indie-alternative”, were told on 3 May that they were finalists for Single of the Year and Vocal Duo of the Year. The awards ceremony will be held in Atlanta in August this year.

Though these previous South African Music Awards nominees are thrilled to be nominated for these awards, Breindy said that she entered as many competitions as she could because she saw it as a way to expand their career.

“I often see something about a music competition, and I’ll research it and see what you need to be eligible,” she said. Many competitions require a song to have been released in the past year to be eligible. “That’s why I love making new music so that it’s current and I’m eligible.”

ISSA is a global organisation that provides free education, support, and promotion for independent musicians.

Breindy believes this nomination could help her career. “The more work you’re doing and the more recognised you get, the more relationships you make, obviously the better it is for your career,” she said.

From comments on the ISSA website, artists claim that it has put smaller “indie” artists on the radar of higher powered musicians and producers. It has also resulted in newer artists being introduced to record labels.

Breindy and Matt say that the song nominated for the single of the year, Take Me Back to Woody Cape is important to them.

“It’s something we’ve been working on for a while. It’s a reference to a magnificent and otherworldly place in the Eastern Cape we travelled to in 2019,” Breindy said. “It takes me on a journey that I want to convey in the sound. With the help of Matt’s production, it has an ethereal sound, and I enjoy the build up. It’s important to us for our song to feel as if it’s going somewhere.”

She said she hoped the song would evoke emotions in its listeners that would enable them to create their own story and journey. “What it means for me is different to what it means for other people, but it has an open sound. It doesn’t have any words. There’s no language, therefore no language barrier.”

Although the couple come from different backgrounds, with Breindy being a rabbi’s daughter, and Matt having been raised in a secular household, their music has Jewish roots and is inspired by biblical themes. They describe it as having an ethereal, modern, experimental, and traditional sound. Breindy said the purpose of their music was “to give people a sense of feeling and something that they can enjoy listening to and appreciate”.

On their most recent track, Al Tuster, the duo work with Maskandi musician Mbuzeni. That piece honours the variety of South Africans by fusing Zulu praise singing with the Hebrew language of Psalm 27, bringing together the traditions of the two musicians.

“Psalm 27 was chosen largely due to a lack of music using these words,” Breindy said, explaining that it’s based on confidence in G-d, trusting that G-d will protect us, and pleading for G-d’s presence in people’s lives. “I generally love using the words of Tehillim,” she says. “They have richness, depth, and a lot of meaning to them. They’re timeless.

“Collaborating is an interesting process,” Breindy said. “You don’t just collaborate with anyone, you find someone who you connect with, resonate with, who you’re inspired by, and who is a good musician. This can take your music to a more global level, which is what Matt and I are doing with Mbuzeni.”

The duo’s music career began in 2011 after they graduated from the University of the Witwatersrand. They have released many singles and two albums together, always relating to their Judaism and meaningful prayers.

The path to becoming a professional musician isn’t simple, Breindy said. “The process of making music and not knowing how it will be received is daunting, but it’s important just to keep on creating and have consistency.”

To help others on their music path, she launched an all-female choral group to give women and girls in the community a platform to express themselves musically. “I’m happy to be able to impart and use my strength by giving it over to anyone with a passion for music,“ she said.