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Their new name is RAAF, which is the meaning of their family name, Rabé.
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Raaf is the Afrikaans word for raven. A raven is a messenger bird that chooses one mate for life. They can speak and they are part of the songbird family.
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Esté and Lourens Raaf (Rabé) will shortly be celebrating their seventh anniversary as full time musicians. In 2010 they started writing, singing and playing music together as students. In their wildest dreams, they would never have been able to predict that they would get married, choose an alternative career path and become full time musicians in 2016.
Descent and heritage is very important to Esté and Lourens. When delving into the history of the arrival of the first Rabé’s in South Africa, they learnt more about the heritage of their family name and its meaning. They realised that the meaning of their family name accurately encapsulates their journey and career: the raven is part of the songbird family, choosing one lifetime mate and being a messenger bird.
The repercussions of and life lessons learnt during the pandemic was like a rebirth to the music duo out of which this change flows.
“One can’t really plan your life, you just need to know where you are dreaming towards and from there take on every opportunity that aligns with that dream” says Lourens. He had initially worked as investment analyst for four years before the music and tours became too busy and he could exchange his work in the office with the stage, exactly in line with the dream. He is still very passionate about finances and business today. As independent record label and with their team, Esté and Lourens don’t only manage the creation of their own art, but every element of their music careers.
“To travel across the country and world to shift boundaries and to, like messenger birds, give flight to our melodies and lyrics is like a dream come true for us. We are always on a journey and we choose adventure, we choose hope and a better tomorrow. We believe that we have grown into ourselves and we are ready for a new chapter”, says Esté Raaf.
Esté is also extremely passionate about health and believes that the healthy habits that they cultivated over the years enables them to maintain their busy schedule including an average of 150 performances a year across South Africa and Namibia. Esté is a trained actress and also enjoys writing poetry. These days her poetry is also incorporated into their performances and can be purchased after shows. There is only one of each available for sale, which creates the feeling of a book of poems which had its pages torn out, framed and now hangs in different homes.
They both write music, they have composed for television and advertisements and they have many melodies, stories and styles to still unlock within them. In light of this, they will also be embarking on individual projects under the RAAF banner. They have a passion for sharing their journey in business and career lessons that they have learnt with fellow musicians and creatives. In line with this they are involved with the very first Musiek Indaba founded by Karen Meiring taking place in Stellenbosch in November/December.
"Seven is an important and significant number and it feels as if a shift, a renewal is unavoidable - we bring it home and we give it wings. We are also looking forward to releasing the music that is flowing from our pens now.” Lourens Raaf
PREDIKER
RAAF is set to release the whole PREDIKER album shortly. The remainder of the PREDIKER album emphasises the diversity of their performances and instruments and their contagious energy they have become so well known for. Every song has its own identity and takes the listener on a journey through the seasons and emotions of life.
Esté and Lourens wish to extend a special thanks to everyone who has supported them up to this point. “We would never have been able to do it without every person who has attended a concert, listened to our music and invited us to share their special celebrations with them. Thank you! Nothing truly changes, the changes and developments have already happened over the years. We are merely bringing it home to whom and what we are. We are stepping into ourselves and going forward we will produce new music, ideas, concerts and journeys as RAAF. We are inviting you to the next chapter as we give RAAF wings.”
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Their concert will initially be presented with the title RAAF (Bottomless Coffee Band) to eventually only be known as RAAF. In interviews they can be referred to as Esté and Lourens RAAF.
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For more information, questions or interview arrangements please feel free to contact Emma Kotze at bcb@bottomlesscoffeeband.com
Hulle nuwe naam is RAAF, dit is die betekenis van hulle familienaam, Rabé.
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'n Raaf is 'n boodskapper voël wat een maat kies vir 'n leeftyd. Hulle kan praat en is deel van die sangvoël (songbird) familie
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Esté en Lourens Raaf (Rabé) vier binnekort sewe jaar as voltydse musikante. Toe hulle in 2010 as studente by Universiteit Stellenbosch saam begin skryf, sing en speel het, sou hulle nooit in hulle wildste drome kon voorspel dat hulle sou trou, 'n alternatiewe pad as loopbaan sou aangryp en in 2016 voltyds in die musiek bedryf sou wees nie.
Herkoms en nalatenskap is vir Esté en Lourens belangrik. ‘n Delwing in wanneer die eerste Rabé’s aangeland het in Suid-Afrika het gelei na die ontdekking van waar die familienaam vandaan kom en wat die betekenis is. Hulle het besef dat die betekenis van hulle familienaam eintlik hulle reis en loopbaan baie akkuraat opsom; die Raaf wat deel is van die sangvoël familie, een maat kies vir ‘n leeftyd en ‘n boodskapper voël is.
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Die pandemie se repurkusies en lewenslesse was soos ‘n hergeboorte vir die musiek duo en hierdie is die uitvloeisel daarvan.
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"‘n Mens kan nie werklik jou lewe beplan nie, 'n mens moet weet waarheen jy droom en vandaar elke geleentheid aangryp wat pas by daardie droom..." sê Lourens. Hy het aanvanklik vier jaar as beleggings analis gewerk voordat die musiek en toere te besig geraak het en hy sy werk van die kantoor na die verhoog kon ruil; presies in lyn met die droom. Vandag is hy steeds baie passievol oor finansies en besigheid.
As onafhanklike platemaatskappy en saam met hulle span, word nie alleen die kuns wat hulle skep nie, maar ook alles van hulle loopbane in musiek self deur Esté en Lourens bestuur.
"Om die hele land en wêreld vol te reis om grense te verskuif en soos boodskapper voëls aan ons melodieë en lirieke te gaan vlerke gee is vir ons 'n droom wat waar geword het. Ons is altyd op reis, ons kies die avontuur, ons kies hoop en 'n beter môre. Ons dink ons het nou in onsself in gegroei en is reg vir 'n nuwe hoofstuk", sê Esté Raaf.
Esté is ook baie passievol oor gesondheid en glo dat die gesonde gewoontes wat hulle oor die jare gekweek het hulle in staat stel om die besige skedule van gemiddeld 150 konserte 'n jaar regoor Suid-Afrika en Namibië vol te hou. Esté is 'n opgeleide aktrise en skryf ook graag poësie. Die gedigte word ook deesdae geïnkorporeer in hulle optredes en is te koop na afloop van konserte. Daar is net een van elk en dit raak soos 'n digbundel waarvan die bladsye uitgeskeur is, geraam is en in verskillende mense se huise hang.
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In die lig van die feit dat beide van hulle musiek skryf, al vir televisie en advertensies gekomponeer het en nog baie melodieë, stories en style in hulle opgesluit het, beoog hulle om ook individuele kant projekte aan te pak wat dan onder die vaandel van RAAF sal leef. Hulle het ook ‘n passie daarvoor om die reis in besigheid en die lesse van hulle loopbaan met ander musikante en kreatiewe skeppers te deel. Hulle skop dit af deur betrokke te wees by die heel eerste Musiek Indaba wat deur Karen Meiring gestig is en wat in November / Desember in Stellenbosch plaasvind.
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"Sewe is 'n belangrike en noemenswaardige getal en dit voel of 'n skuif, 'n vernuwing onvermydelik is - ons bring dit tuis, ons gee dit vlerke...ons sien ook baie uit om die musiek vry te stel wat nou uit ons penne vloei." Lourens Raaf
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PREDIKER
RAAF gaan die vol PREDIKER album binnekort vrystel. Die diversiteit van hulle optredes en instrumente en hulle aansteeklike energie waarvoor hulle so bekend is, word meer as ooit op die res van die PREDIKER album beklemtoon. Elke lied het sy eie identiteit en neem die luisteraar op verskillende reise deur die seisoene en emosies van die lewe.
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Lourens en Esté wil spesiaal dankie sê aan almal wat hulle ondersteun het om tot op hierdie punt te kom. "Ons sou dit nooit kon doen sonder elke persoon wat ons konserte bywoon, ons musiek luister en ons nooi om by hulle spesiale vieringe op te tree nie. Dankie! Niks verander werklik nie, die verandering en ontwikkeling het reeds oor die jare gebeur. Ons bring dit nou net tuis na wie en wat ons is; ons tree net in in onsself en gaan voortaan ons nuwe musiek, idees, konserte en reise as RAAF voort sit. Ons nooi julle saam vir die volgende hoofstuk soos wat ons aan RAAF vlerke gee"
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Hulle konserte sal vir eers onder die volgende titel aangebied word RAAF (née Bottomless Coffee Band), om uiteindelik slegs as RAAF bekend te staan. In onderhoude kan hulle na verwys word as Esté en Lourens RAAF.
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Vir meer inligting, vra of onderhoudreëlings kontak gerus vir Emma Kotze by bcb@bottomlesscoffeeband.com