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Trending in Sonja Herholdt’s World
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20 Gewildste Treffers
Released Jul 30, 1999
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Quick Facts
Born
1952
1952
From
South Africa
South Africa
Journey
Sonja Herholdt is a South African prominent recording artist, songwriter, actress, author, and television presenter whose career has remained active across multiple decades of the country’s entertainment history. Her work is closely tied to Afrikaans-language pop music, later expanding into gospel and inspirational material.
She first appeared on stage in early childhood, showing musical interest from a very young age. After completing her education, she trained as a teacher, a profession she briefly pursued before shifting fully into music during the early 1970s. That transition marked the beginning of a long recording career.
Her national breakthrough came with the song “Ek Verlang Na Jou,” which gained strong commercial success and reached gold status in South Africa. This release established her as a familiar voice on radio and led to a steady run of popular albums. During her peak years, she released projects such as "Sonja," "Harlekyn," and "Waarom Daarom," each contributing to her strong presence in the Afrikaans music space. She received multiple SARIE Awards, including repeated recognition as Best Female Artist.
Beyond recording, she moved into acting and appeared in the film 'Sing vir die Harlekyn' (1979), earning recognition for her performance. She also worked in television, presenting music and lifestyle programming, which extended her visibility beyond music performance alone.
Over time, her repertoire shifted to include more reflective and gospel-oriented work, including releases such as "The Warrior is a Child." In the early 2000s, she established her own independent label, Son Music, allowing her to manage selected projects and maintain control over parts of her catalogue.
She is also an author, with published memoir work reflecting on her life and career journey. Alongside recording and writing, she has remained active in live performances and cultural appearances, maintaining a long-standing role in South African entertainment history.