Jimmy Nevis (real name Matthew Peter Le Roux) has been one of the busiest men in music over the past few months.
The Cape Town-born singer and songwriter along with fellow Mother City musicians Acoustic Element (AE), which comprises cousins Callen Petersen and Jody Abel, released “Rebel Heart” earlier this month.
The feel-good anthem fuses Nevis’s smooth vocals along with AE’s signature violin and guitar mix to create a vibe that screams “rebel with a cause” and it’s the kind of track that just makes you want to break free from the ordinary.
It has already made waves internationally, with AE debuting the track at the Gasteiner Lido Sounds Festival in Linz, Austria, where they shared the stage with globally recognised acts such as Kings of Leon, Milky Chance and The Kooks.
Meanwhile, in July, Nevis also teamed up with Craig Lucas to release “Never Forget”, which features prominently in the documentary, “A Cape Town Song: The Story of The Luxurama”.
The song encourages people never to forget the artists who came through the Luxurama Theatre.
“I feel incredibly grateful and fulfilled, especially seeing how my music continues to evolve and resonate with people across different generations,” Nevis said.
And with many more projects in the works, the 32-year-old hopes to leave a lasting legacy.
“I want to be remembered as an artist who always stayed true to himself and used his platform to inspire, educate and uplift people through music.”
In regards to “Rebel Heart”, he explained that working with AE “was such a natural and creative process”.
“We've been friends for many years and we've worked together on the live stage and even lived together but we never put out a record.”
“It feels like this was long overdue and the response has been amazing, with fans really connecting to the authenticity and vibrant energy of the track.”
He believes that the single has been resonating with fans because of the themes that it unpacks.
“'Rebel Heart' delves into themes of self-empowerment, love, vulnerability and standing firm in your truth, even when society expects otherwise.”
“It's also such a great song to express how much we're winning at everything in South Africa. Our music and sports, we are killing it in a country of rebels and going against the grain.”
He also enjoyed working with Lucas for the Luxurama Theatre project. The documentary features and shares the forgotten tales of the popular Luxurama Theatre in Wynberg, which has been a staple of the community since it was built in 1963.
It has launched the music and acting careers of many local artists as well as housed international acts such as Percy Sledge (who was granted honorary white citizenship), Engelbert Humperdinck and Peaches & Herb.
Over the last six years, over 30 people closely connected to the Luxurama were filmed. Sadly, some have since passed on.
“Collaborating with Craig Lucas was incredible,” he said.
“He’s so talented and brings a deep emotional connection to every project and working on the Luxurama Theatre documentary allowed us to honour Cape Town’s rich cultural history.”
He added: “Again, this was long overdue. We've also been friends for many years and I feel like I'm getting to collaborate with all of my people this year.”
And while the “Secret Lovers” hitmaker has worked with some of the nation’s top artists, including Mi Casa, Pascal & Pearce and Kwesta, he hopes to collaborate with many more.
“Locally, I’d love to collaborate with DJ Kent and Shekhinah, and internationally, artists like Sam Smith and DJ Khalid really resonate with my style.”
“But a Rihanna collaboration would be the dream.”
The Athlone-born star, who fell in love with the name “Nevis” on a CD cover in high school and adopted (it) as his own, broke into the industry in 2012 when he wrote and produced the single, “Elephant Shoes”.
Later that year, he released his debut album, “Subliminal” and went on to drop other tracks such as “Heartboxing”, “In Love With You” and “Balloon”.
Over the past decade, he has released four albums and has also opened for international stars such as Tevin Campbell and Pharrell Williams. In November 2017, he performed his first solo concert at the GrandWest Arena in Cape Town.
With several accolades, such as being nominated for several South African Music Awards (Samas) as well as an MTV Africa Music Awards nomination in 2015, he is looking forward to many more career achievements.
“Fans can expect more exciting collaborations, new music that pushes creative boundaries, and some live shows throughout the country,” he promised.