Jimmy Nevis, also known as Matthew Peter Le Roux, has been a busy musician in recent months.
The Cape Town-born singer and songwriter, together with fellow Mother City performers Acoustic Element (AE), which include cousins Callen Petersen and Jody Abel, released “Rebel Heart” earlier this month.
The feel-good anthem combines Nevis’s silky vocals with AE’s characteristic violin and guitar mix to create a feeling that shouts “rebel with a cause,” and it’s the type of song that makes you want to break free from the routine.
It has already made international waves, with AE launching the single at the Gasteiner Lido Sounds Festival in Linz, Austria, alongside globally recognized acts like 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 liked collaborating with Lucas on the Luxurama Theatre project. The documentary recounts and tells forgotten stories of Wynberg’s iconic Luxurama Theatre, which has been a community mainstay since its construction in 1963.
It has begun the music and acting careers of numerous local musicians, as well as hosting foreign acts such as Percy Sledge (who was granted honorary white citizenship), Engelbert Humperdinck, and Peaches & Herb.
Over the last six years, more than 30 people closely associated with the Luxurama have been filmed. Sadly, several have subsequently passed away.
“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.
