What you need
to know about
RianaNel
Riana Nel, the Namibian singer, has been
exposed to music since a young age.
Coming from a very musical family she
started playing the piano very early, and
her talent and passion were soon noted.
In 1996 she took part in Crescendo
together with Joe Niemand and the wellknown composer and song writer Machiel
Roets. In 2000 she entranced the judges
and won the sought-after title.
Her popularity in Namibia roller-coasted
and she was appointed as the winner at
the Jubeljaarfees. The winners at this
festival all appeared on Pasella on SABC
TV, and that is where gospel singer Louis
Brittz noticed her. He asked her if she
would be interested in joining him on his
tours. For this she would have to make
a choice between gospel music and the
secular market. Her heart took her in only
one direction and at the age of 19 she
packed up and transferred to Pretoria.
She toured with Louis as background
singer, but very often she also entertained
audiences with her own compositions.
This led to an opportunity to conclude her
own recording contract with Maranatha.
After the success of her first album,
Oopmond, she decided to go and test
the waters abroad. Her humbleness and
rockfirm passion won many hearts in
London, Holland, France and England, and
soon she also entered into an agreement
with the European distributing company
Authentic. Back in South Africa she again
arrested people’s attention at the Geraas
Awards in 2001, where she was appointed
as Best Newcomer together with Karen
Zoid and also as Best Gospel Singer. The
Lier Award that she received as Best
Female Vocalist and Best New Artist did
not come as a surprise either.
Her second album, The Cure, as well as
her third album, Someone with Skin,
was in English and targeted overseas
audiences, but also sold very well in
South Africa.
In the meantime Riana got involved
in projects with Retief Burger with the
Godly Revolution and Youth Revolt
movements. She also appears on the
albums Peacemaker and Onbeskaamd. In
2010 she recorded a duet with her sister
Nianell for her album Sand & Water.
In 2011 Riana decided that it was time
for a change in her music career. She
joined up with the record company
Coleske Artists where she debuted in the
secular market. This was a unique move,