Johannesburg based alternative electro-rock trio Go The Rodeo have released their debut Afrikaans track, Dowe Ore (Deaf Ears), along with an attention-grabbing video. Highlighting the devastation of rhino poaching and the illegal wild animal trade in South Africa, the harrowing images provide a thoughtful backdrop to a true South African anthemic masterpiece.
Vocalist and guitarist Corne van Niekerk comments on the inspiration for the video and track, The main idea was to step away from my own ego, and approach an issue that affects us all, especially as South Africans. As a band we’ve always had a strong stance against poaching, and we wanted to take this chance to raise environmental awareness. I think that people are desensitized to a lot of environmental issues, especially poaching, and that’s why I decided to switch the roles, hoping that the issue will be more relatable in that sense.”
He adds, “The idea of writing in Afrikaans is very personal to me, and I really took the time to refine the lyrics of this track, so as not to have it come across generic or corny. Even though a lot of people won’t understand Afrikaans, I believe that the music video has a global message.”
Watch the video here (subtitles)
or here (no subtitles)
Dowe Ore is available now on all digital platforms.
