Stellenbosch Magazine July 2021

image credits: facebook
What stood out in Zubin’s personality
while he was growing up?
His inquisitive mind. As a child, he asked
a lot of questions and always wanted to
learn new things. Whenever we drove, he
asked a lot of questions like “what is the
name above that shop?”. The next time
we drove past, he remembered it. He didn’t
just want to know the name of something,
he wanted to know what the name is about
and what the shop sells. He attended a
programme called TopTods. The crux of
that programme was growing one’s memory.
That helped him a lot and it’s still like that.
He still asks a lot of questions, reads and
doesn’t just believe one side of a story. He
always wants to learn new things.
How would you react if he told you he
wanted to be a full-time musician?
Music has always been part of his life. If
he wants to be a full-time musician, we
won’t stand in his way. We are music
teachers so there were limitations in terms
of funds and income. But virtual and online
platforms are a great money-spinner, and
there is potential to have a lucrative career.
However, you must be brilliant and good
because on virtual platforms you are
competing against the world. It is international
so what he puts out, has to be
a good quality product. You also have to
be committed to it. Hard work is the key.
However, he also has to have a back-up
plan and complete his undergraduate
studies. He doesn’t want to work for
someone and that’s okay, but always have
a back-up plan. A university also provides
opportunities to create critical thinking and
to take in information in a different way as
well as to develop different skills. That is
really good for him for the type of child he
is and to enhance his learning.
He comes from a musical family, but
you have never forced him to do music.
Please give a little more information
about that.
I was responsible for the orchestra while I
was expecting him. He heard these things
every day. When he was born, we were
still musicians. It was never something we
forced on him. Do something to enjoy it.
He always watched videos of my husband
conducting and then made a drum kit with
my washing basket. When he was 3 years
old he was part of a group that played
Jingle Bells for Nelson Mandela. He has
an appreciation for music and did formal
drumming lessons until grade 5. He also
played in the high school band. Then he
didn’t want to take lessons anymore.
We only found out about the music writing
after a social media post my daughter,
Signe, made about the first song he wrote.
We didn’t even know he was making music
in his bedroom. However, it was a natural
thing. The things he learnt from his formal
training is helping him now. Sometimes he
asks us questions but we never tell him to
do things in a specific way. We believe our
children have an appreciation for music, but
don’t have to have it as a career. We will
see how it goes.
What were the characteristics you wanted
to instil in him?
Firstly, being true to yourself and to own
your truth, to own who you are and who
you believe in. Being able to carry yourself
calmly in making a decision and executing it.
Respect people and treat them with dignity.
Show people how you want to be treated by
respecting them. He is also a deeply spiritual
child. He thanks his Creator every morning.
We didn’t do much to instil that. It was a
journey he took on himself, but it is also an
example of how we support our children. He
also had good schooling opportunities and
good friends who have supported him, which
also contributes to the person he is.
What do you think about his music?
It’s great, fresh, different and a new way of
making music. It has a different sound to
what we studied in music. We studied the
Western way of making music, including the
structure and different rules that go with it.
I think his way is a very unconventional
way of making music but it has been well
received. I played it to my father, Hendrick
de Bruin, who is 88 years old. He asked:
“Is that Zubin singing?” He is so proud of
his grandson and always wanted to know
when his next song was going to be
released.
image: Selwyn Willoughby
| Stellenbosch Magazine | July Issue
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