JP Zeelie is a versatile 36-year-old musician and songwriter who has been dreaming of sharing his original music with the world for years.
Because he likes doing things differently, he decided to take on two different genres at once, by releasing two singles and an EP of international standard.
COLLIDE is a Nashville style contemporary country track, written by the artist himself, about two people who are kept apart by their circumstances.
“It’s a story about a guy who looks at his phone in amazement, because he finally has the girl’s number that he thought was out of his league,” he explains about this special song. “Luckily he never gave up hope, because he realized that circumstances were keeping them apart and that the real dream was finding each other.”
He shares that the last verse was written for those people it works out for in the end; the ones who choose each other over circumstances.
“With this song I am launching my music career and, therefore, it is very special to me. I think it will grow on people just as much as it has grown on me.”
With his second release, EYE OF THE STORM, he wants to encourage listeners not to give up hope.
It is a contemporary country song with a spiritual message, which he wrote while going through a difficult time.
“One afternoon I was playing on my guitar in the small room I was living in at the time and came up with the melody that became the theme for this song. Afterwards I tried to capture my experience in lyrics. The chorus only came later,” he shares. “The song describes how we all go through difficult times, because that’s part of being human. In those times of chaos, there is always an eye in the storm in which there is absolute peace. I realized that what you believe can bring you peace. If it doesn’t, it’s probably not the truth, because the truth brings peace. Every storm has an eye. May you find yours. Faith is mine.”
The song was produced by Sunset Recording Studios and its relatable message will definitely appeal to a large audience, especially in the current economic climate.
“It is great to listen to on a good sound system and I also enjoy performing it live on stage. The song still surprises me every time I hear it,” the singer-songwriter explains.
Gospel is also not the only genre he specializes in, and the artist has also recently released a commercial country track, Collide, which was very well received by radio stations.
COLLIDE and EYE OF THE STORM both form part of his latest EP, titled Close to You, that boasts five top-notch modern country songs.
The EP has a contemporary sound, but there is also something classical and nostalgic that makes it even more special.
“I wanted to enter the market with something original. There are commercial sounds with exceptional productions out there, but I wanted to impress with the simplicity of my guitar, voice and good songs that can be sung anywhere. It’s important to me that a song should retain its essence, regardless of whether it’s played on an acoustic guitar around the campfire or with a band on a big stage.”
JP, who currently lives in Glentana, grew up in Polokwane and comes from a musical family. His father is also a musician who regularly performed during the 90s.
He knew from a young age that he preferred live band music to anything else. He got his first acoustic guitar after school and started a band with his brothers called Sweet November (of which Riaan Benadè was part of for a while).
Although he has only been singing professionally for a year, the musician has been making music for years. He was part of the seventh season of Idols in 2011 and also took part in the kykNET reality show, Die Sanger, in 2012. The artist also recently performed at the Winterfees in Limpopo with big names like Brendan Peyper, Franja du Plessis, Elandré and more.
This versatile man also has a commercial pilot license and when he is not on stage, he gives flying training in the Cape and enjoys spending time outdoors.
He prefers music that he can relate to and has great admiration for the likes of Elvis Blue, Arno Carstens, Jesse Clegg, Riana Nel, Riaan Benadè, Roan Ash, Bruce Springsteen, Chris Stapleton, Kip Moore, Patrik Droney and Zach Brown.
The music industry has taught him that it is important to be authentic and build good relationships.
Currently he is working on new music and getting a band together to enhance his live shows.
There are few local artists who truly manage to master country music, but JP Zeelie certainly succeeds in this goal. “To me, EYE OF THE STORM is a true story of hope and gratitude. If I hadn’t picked up the guitar and had faith that this song would take me places, I would probably still be trapped in a world of disappointments. With COLLIDE and the rest of my work, I hope to showcase my authenticity and provide listeners with more than just a catchy tune,” he concludes.
