The two award-winning singers and songwriters, Joshua na die Reën (JNDR) and Karlien van Jaarsveld released their love duet on 2 February 2024 and completely took listeners’ and fans’ breaths away. Beter Vir Ons Albei is a heartwarming pop song, from the studio of Gideon Botes, which is about the milestones we set for ourselves so we can remember why we’re here and what our purpose is.
For Jacques this collaboration is a great privilege because he has a great appreciation for Karlien’s humanity, talent and voice, and also because they both knew the person about whom the song was about. “It’s not a duet people would have expected, but I admire someone whose outlook on music is not just to be entertained, but to bring something beautiful and sacred to the world,” he says.
Van Jaarsveld agrees wholeheartedly and believes that she felt very comfortable working with JNDR. . “He looks at the world differently, sees more than just what is in front of him and allows you to just be yourself. He’s a deep thinker, like me, and so musical! Definitely one of my very favourite artists,” she adds.
“When I write, the atmosphere around me usually becomes palpable. Sometimes it’s light and other times dark. Almost like when you walk outside in grasslands after a thunderstorm or stand in a thick fog. The struggle of being allowed to write and create has been taking me on a mood for years on an extraordinary journey of life, and how it works, and of who I am as a person and who I want to be. These experiences with life then flow out in the form of words on paper and melodies that flow with them like a river. The strange thing is that many inspiring creations were born from sore or dark places within its creators. Sometimes the packaging of these makes it come across quite differently from the original feeling or emotion. I know this sound may not be the traditional Joshua na die Reën sound, but being able to experiment with this was a good experience for me, precisely because my propensity is to always explore the opposite direction. If you’re going to ask me what “Better for Us Both” is all about, it’s not going to leave a very upbeat feeling in your heart, but I can promise you that you’ll be inspired when the story gets colour and life through your mind’s valleys,” says Jacques.
The music video is built around a poignant live performance, and is available now. The music video was recorded at the Palace of Justice and Pierneefskraal. The video was produced by Jaen Kleynhans and Jan Du Plessis as Cinematographer. Apart from the two artists complimenting each other on stage with ease, smart lighting has also been used to compliment the tender emotion of the song and the end product keeps viewers glued to the last note.
