Graeme Watkins

It’s not often that the South African music scene sees a band explode the way The Graeme Watkins Project did in 2011. After the release of their debut album “Corridors of The Mind” in March 2011, the bands spacing in the South African music industry changed dramatically, making them a hot product at most events and festivals around the country. In the space of one year they’ve produced 5 Top 10 hits singles from the album.

2013 has seen their fresh new single “Fight When We’re young” , produced by LA based producer Jeff Blue, hop right back into the SA Chart scene. The song comes from their hugely anticipated album, due for release in the middle of the year.GWP brings a dirty, edgy, rough approach to a medley of pop, indie, rock and electronic genres.“A Masterpiece is a stroke of genius in a moment of madness… So live life like a madman” is Graeme’s motto, and there is definitely madness incorporated into his music. With a range of songs incorporating a host of genre’s; from Rock, to indie, to pop to deep and meaningful ballads, or acoustic bounce downs of popular chart toppers, this band is full of surprises.

Their ADHD inspired beat, the music is designed to get the crowd into the mad-capped mindset of the band members, to break out of their comfort zone and rock out to the all-encompassing movement of the melody.“Corridors Of The Mind” produced FIVE major hit singles in 2011 and 2012. The attention they received in 2011 reached its climax when they were invited to Los Angeles to perform at A+R Worldwides Musexpo. It was here the band had the opportunity to perform for industry legends such as Larry King, Seymour Steyn, and Michael Chugg, to name but a few! As a result the band were spotted by international Producer and A+R specialist from Atlantic Records Jeff Blue. They went on to record their current with him in LA.

The band have been involved in some of South Africa’s hottest parties and festivals over the past 2 years including: Kirstenbosch Old Mutual Encounters, Splashy Fenn, Rocking The Daisies, The World Flow championships, The St Francis Ruins Fest, You Spectacular Awards, Idols SA, Mnet New year spectacular, Gary the Toothfairy Royal Variety Show and Rocking the Daisies. They are Confirmed to play Oppikoppi, Zimfest and Joburg day, to name but a few, before the end of this year.

2012 saw them nominated for: 2 x SAMA AWARDS (best rock and video), 1 MK Award (Best Newcomer) and a YOU Spectacular Award (Best Music act) The Graeme Watkins Project (GWP) is not just about Graeme, it’s made up of phenomenal musicians who can stand proud in their own musical right: Ryno Zeelie plays Lead Guitar, Rudo Pieterse on Bass and Matthew Marinus on drums. This unit has managed to break the “cookie-cutter” mould of the stereotypical SA Pop-Rock sound by producing a fresh sounding album, with each of the original songs lined with raw, pure emotion … pretty much exactly what everyone, not only the SA Music scene, needs right now.