About

Marthie Nel Hauptfleisch

Award winning Artist and Songwriter

"I am a Singer-Songwriter telling the Stories of Ordinary people who live in a Real World.
I believe Music Empowers: Together we Can Make the World Better."

It is no coincidence that Marthie does children's music, music for adults, cabaret, folk, World music, gospel, Afrikaans and English...
Life is complicated...
Award winning artist and songwriter Marthie has established herself as a trendsetter in what is new and exciting in the music industry. Not looking left or right but forward towards being an artist with a unique style inspiring the people around her, empowering young and old to become what they have been destined to do: living their true passion.

Through her music you have the opportunity to become part of the magic!  On the way, you will discover people and places and see them in new ways (and rediscover the old as well)

Life is a journey... Let's go on it together... Let the music play!

Biography

Award-winning singer, composer, performer, multi-instrumentalist (piano, keyboard, organ, guitar, recorder), engineer and playwriter Marthie Nel started her career in Newcastle, South Africa on the steps of a temporary classroom: singing to her friends all the Girl Scout songs she knew, later refusing to attend choir practice because she wanted to sing alone. She would sing, direct, and write for small chamber choirs while still in school.

Marthie received classical piano and voice training, with a dream of writing and singing her own music. In her tours she found her voice and style…she would not just sing: she would sing cabaret!

In cabaret, Marthie believes you have great musical freedom to think outside the box, forever turning hooks and drum beats. To communicate life and mutual life experiences; to touch somebody’s life; to make people laugh and cry… She sings about being lonely, happy or lost, the joys of motherhood, perfect worlds that do not exist, and how to find yourself amidst the chaos that life brings.

Achievements

Marthie’s songwriting accomplishments include an honourable mention in the Songprize International Songwriting Competition for “How Long Can Your Love Wait” (2003) and finalist in the Unisong International Song Contest for “Dance of Snow and Light” (2003). Her recordings have received airplay on online radio stations, been featured as “Saskatchewan Artist of the Week” on CJTR FM, Regina and received airplay on CBC Radio One. She has also been honoured to be included on several compilation CDs including Saskatchewan Tourism’s “Land of the Living Skies”, distributed throughout Canada (2004). Marthie has written several plays including “Enfer L’hiver,” performed at Regina’s McKenzie Art Gallery (2003) and for which she did the arrangement and performed.

With a diverse range of writing styles covering pop, adult contemporary, rap, rock and folk, and performing in English and Afrikaans, Marthie’s music will take you on a journey of scenery, emotions and stories. Through her eyes you will see the world.

Earlier Album Releases

Instrumentation
Marthie Nel: piano, lead vocals

Discography
Songs from the Land of Living Skies (2004) Compilation
Commissioned by Tourism Saskatchewan to promote Saskatchewan and a Tourism trade show. “Prairie Love Song” was included in this production.

Stoot die blĂŞddie bus (Push the bloody bus) (1998)
Are you coming or are you staying? The bus is leaving for London detouring to Oxford. You’ll meet Jessie in Stellenbosch and help push that bus all the way back to Cape Town, South Africa. Remastered with musical arrangements by Brahm Potgieter; recorded at Musicfront Studios. Unplugged version recorded at Musicfront Studios, Paarl, South Africa.

A South African Woman in Saskatchewan
It is the journey through new life experiences; trading your home country for a foreign country, and all the excitement that comes along with the ride to a higher level of happiness. It’s fresh and new and part of what is currently happening in the world – global migration in the global village! Her songs describe the thrill of watching the Northern Lights dancing in the air like a rainbow or experiencing the magic at Christmas when lights and snow create a glorious wonderland.

I Love Regina
A collection of songs celebrating the beauty of Regina and Saskatchewan, Canada

Enfer l’hiver
A recorded play of a magical, exciting, exotic, mystical, enchanting world of the winter people that awake during the winter to perform the ritual to ensure the return of winter each year.

Kingfisher
Commissioned by Magriet Lotter by the Kingfisher outreach project: the goal is to reach out to Christian children and motivate them to catch fish for Jesus.

Bubblegum Blues
A bit more jazzy and with blues elements.

Perfect world
You know everybody tells you what you should be doing and instead you find a less perfect world, struggling to live the perfect life? Here you will find very honest songs.

One Sky
One year living in British Columbia

Sing Afrikaans 1, 2, 3
Afrikaans folk songs includes 13 lullabies

Twee Tasse en ‘n Paspoort
The return to South Africa from Canada.