Prestigious songwriting workshop now in Namibia

marlizeleyden8
Jun 6
4 min read

ATKV-Crescendo, one of the leading Afrikaans music development projects of the past fifty years, will be hosting free songwriting workshops across Namibia from 7 to 14 June.

For the first time ever, ATKV-Crescendo’s prestigious musical mentoring programme will go beyond South Africa’s borders, right into the heart of Namibia. Individuals older than 18 years, experienced in songwriting or eager to learn, are invited to participate. Although the workshop is aimed at creating new Afrikaans music, those who until now have only written in English are also welcome to attend.

During these workshops, participants will be guided by experts and artists (see bios hereafter) such as Ike (aka Ixa) Adonis, Gracia Louw, Selby Williams and Morné van Staden. The focus will be not only on the fundamentals of songwriting, but also on aspects like project management.

These workshops are part of ATKV-Crescendo’s broader vision to enrich the Afrikaans music industry with new songs, voices and genres. “We encourage artists to sing in their own dialects”, explains project coordinator Morné van Staden. “It was simply a logical step to expand ATKV-Crescendo to Namibia as well, because without the beautiful varieties of Afrikaans spoken in Namibia, there is a major gap in the Afrikaans music industry.”

Although this is the first time songwriting workshops are being held in Namibia, Crescendo had already expanded into Namibia in 2024 when Ike (aka Ixa) of Masekinnez fame, hosted in-person auditions to identify potential participants for the comprehensive ATKV-Crescendo mentorship programme that was held in April 2025. Two Namibian artists were chosen to attend the programme, which were presented by a diverse group of musicians and industry experts to equip them with the knowledge and skills to launch sustainable music careers.

Among the participants, we are proud to announce that Salvador Mouers from Walvis Bay has been selected as Namibia's first Crescendo recording artist. He will not only attend the workshop in Walvis Bay but will also make his debut performance in an official Crescendo production this October.

Prospective participants can register by visiting www.atkv.org.za. Alternatively, Selby Williams can be contacted at 081 810 2750.

Workshop Details

Windhoek: 7 June from 10:00 to 15:00 at the Windhoek Afrikaans Private School (WAP), 5 Drakensberg Street, Eros, Windhoek.
Rehoboth: 8 June from 15:00 to 18:00 at the Rehoboth Arts Centre, TRC Building, Rehoboth.
Walvis Bay: 14 June from 10:00 to 15:00 at the Roman Catholic Church, Kruis Street, Narraville, Walvis Bay.

MORE ABOUT THE FACILITATORS

Ike (aka Ixa) Adonis

Ike Jericho Adonis (aka Ixa) is an Afrikaans rapper, songwriter, music producer and DJ from Walvis Bay, Namibia. Although his music is classified as hip-hop, he calls it “hip-hope. Maybe it sounds strange to others”, he explains, “but I believe God saved me through music. Hip-hop gave me hope.”

With his sharp, motivational lyrics, both in his songs and on social media platforms. During his musical career so far, he has had the opportunity to perform in the Netherlands and share the stage with amongst others South African heavyweights HemelBesem and Early B.

Ixa joined the ATKV-Crescendo family in 2024, taking on the role of Namibia’s talent scout. In addition to this, he has recently been chosen as a mentor for the mentorship programmes and workshops. At these songwriting workshops, he will deliver talks on the theme “my music, my culture, my career.”

Selby Williams

South African singer and songwriter Selby Williams, the second oldest of four children, spent much time with his grandmother. Whenever a special song played on the radio, he would sing along with her. That is likely where his love for music began.

After matric, he joined a community arts organisation in Rehoboth, which helped him develop his musical skills. He’s also had the opportunity to share his musical journey with international audiences.

Selby’s participation in the ATKV-Crescendo Mentorship Programme in 2022 not only deepened his love for music but also led to his first attempts at composition. In August 2023, he released his debut album, Hier is ek (Here I am). Several of his music videos are now available on all streaming platforms. He has performed at various arts festivals, including the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival. One of his more recent productions was Kô laat ons dans (Come, Let’s Dance) at the Adam Small Festival. During the workshops, he will guide participants in the basic structure of songs.

Gracia Louw

Gracia Louw is a storyteller, entertainer, poet and speaker. She is the founder of Bly Staan (Remain Standing), an initiative aimed at encouraging people to remain strong in the face of challenges through storytelling. Her passion for social transformation through the arts has opened the door to work for South Roots International. Over the past several years, she has had the privilege of performing as an artist, poet and speaker in more than ten countries. She is involved with ATKV-Crescendo as a mentor, artist and social media strategist. Her focus during the workshops will be on lyric writing.

MORE ABOUT NAMIBIA’S FIRST RECORDING ARTIST

Salvador Mouers (31), from Narraville in Walvis Bay, says he sang his first song in preschool. Since then, music has always been part of who he is.

In 2010, this dedicated husband and father of three daughters was part of a group called Contagious Africa. In 2012, he joined a hip-hop group called Brazse van die mic. In 2014, he went solo and released his first album, Everything, was nominated at the Namibia Annual Music Awards for Best R&B Album and Best Newcomer.

“My focus wasn’t really on music these past two years”, he shares. He didn't even plan to enter the mentorship programme, but today he knows that his participation changed his life. “When I got there, I felt like I had come home, among my people. It made me dream again, man, it rekindled the fire in me. '

Being chosen as one of the recording artists is a great opportunity for him. “Now I can fully focus on my music.”

FOR MEDIA QEURIES OR INTERVIEWS

For interviews or further details, contact Marlize Leyden at marlize.leyden@outlook.com.