AB de Villiers’ song The Flame, which he recorded with Karen Zoid and Ndlovu Youth Choir, aims to “inspire and uplift” South Africa after a difficult year.
The song is already causing a buzz on social media. In an interview, AB de Villiers explained how a cricket icon, a rock star and a much-loved choir came together to record the single.
‘Carry a message’
He said, “Karen Zoid and I spent time together in 2019 to write music. We want to inspire, to carry a message and help make a difference in the lives of people.
“During our writing sessions I spent a lot of time thinking about the challenges I had faced as a cricket player and the parallels with everyday life. At the time we had no idea COVID-19 was on the cards but regardless, we felt the world needed a positive message.”
However, recording hit a temporary snag when South Africa went into lockdown this year. De Villiers was in Dubai, Karen in Cape Town and Ndlovu Youth Choir in Limpopo – all locked down.
Luckily, it was possible to record and produce The Flame remotely. Keen listeners will notice that in the chorus, Zoid sings “We fan the flame” while the others sing “We found the flame.”
‘A song of hope’
Nevertheless, as Zoid explains, there is a silver lining to it. “I guess I could have gone back and redone my vocal to match the other voices, but I didn’t because it felt right being recorded incorrectly,” she explained.
“Some of us are celebrating hope and some are still searching for it. But we all want to sing a song of hope. Out of an imperfect song and an imperfect world beautiful things do transpire. They always have and they always will.”
The group also recorded a music video which features scenes of Zoid and Ndlovu Youth Choir at SuperSport Park in Centurion and self-shot images of De Villiers in Dubai.
Prominent cricketers Virat Kohli, Dale Steyn, Yuzvendra Chahal, Chris Morris, Anrich Nortjé and Kagiso Rabada also make appearances.
‘Special energy’
“For me this is a song about endurance, teamwork and character. It makes me think of the challenges we face in South Africa when it comes to gender-based violence, a high crime rate and racism – and I know that we have a special energy here that one finds nowhere else in the world.
“Walking through flames and enduring hard times makes us stronger as a nation and I know we’ll continue to rise,” De Villiers said.
Ndlovu Youth Choir’s choirmaster Ralf Schmitt added, “In times of uncertainty and turmoil, the world remains united in our love for music, sport, art and culture. Together with Karen Zoid and AB de Villiers, we have brought these passions together to not only inspire but bring hope and warm hearts.”
Watch the music video for AB de Villiers’ song The Flame on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/4xJ4q-V2Glc
Karen Zoid, Ndlovu Youth Choir and AB de Villiers’ song The Flame is now available on all major streaming platforms: http://platoon.lnk.to/the-flame