Petronel
Baard

Petronel Baard recalls that from a young age, the people of her hometown, Villiersdorp in the Overberg, Western Cape, knew her as the child who loved to wander outside among the trees and sing. In 1999, she had her first major breakthrough when she won first place in the ATKV-Crescendo competition. Although Petronel is classically trained and plays both piano and guitar, she describes herself as a theatre entrepreneur and arts developer. She writes, produces, and performs in her own productions.

 

She is currently serving her second term as deputy chairperson of the Western Cape Cultural Commission. Alongside these commitments, she has also acted as a talent scout and mentor for ATKV-Crescendo since 2022.

 

In 2020, the Cordis Trust – an organisation dedicated to promoting Afrikaans literary and performance arts—awarded her the Order of the Chisel. In 2024, the same organisation honoured her with the Order of the Star.

 

Petronel has also received SAMA and FNB nominations for Best Cabaret Artist.

Most recently, she released her first duet, Blou flamink (“Blue Flamingo”), with Sarah Theron, a fellow ATKV-Crescendo mentor, on all streaming platforms. Petronel describes the song, dedicated in loving memory of their music friend Helmut Meyer (1978–2024), as “a tour de force of emotion and nostalgia—aimed at strengthening both the ears and the heart of the listener in their humanity.”

 

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