Riaan Smit’s homecoming

Riaan Smit’s homecoming Singer opens new studio Blues singer Riaan Smit officially returned from South Africa this year, with his Namibia Tourism Expo performance officially certifying him as Namibian again. MICHAEL KAYUNDE - On Wednesday, Riaan Smit delivered a performance that can only be described as fun. He was scheduled to perform after Rubber Duc, which meant he needed to perform at high energy to maintain the ambiance.

“It was my first time I was booked to perform at the Namibia Tourism Expo so I had to bring my best, hence all the music was original, coupled with looping and shouting,” he said.

Sharing his 2020 musical endeavours, Smit mentioned that just like any other entertainer, the pandemic affected his work.

He told Namibian Sun that during lockdown, he kept himself busy by teaching music lessons online.

“I also started doing small shows within the government’s regulations and now I am happy that events like the Namibia Tourism Expo are happening again because we get to engage with our fans in person,” he said.

Venturing into artist management

Having been exposed to the international music scene, Smit said his goal now is to venture into artist management.

“I have been fortunate enough to experience the international music market and release a lot of music.

“My mission is for a lot of Namibian artists to also have similar experiences.”

To make his dream of exporting Namibian talent to the world a reality, Smit has opened a recording studio on Independence Avenue.

“It’s at this establishments that new talents are discovered, so it was important for me to venture into that space,” he said.