Wianda Gilliland
If you haven’t heard the sweet catchy melodies of Opposite the Other on the radio with their hit Stutter Love, then it’s about time you meet the new kids on the block of South African alt-pop.
When Sam and Daniel Burger moved to Cape Town where they met Robbie Spooner at church, Opposite the Other almost immediately started to make waves in the music scene. They played their first show only a year and a half ago, but they have been playing major gigs since then, opening for The Lumineers and playing at Kirstenbosch, as well as opening for Bastille in October.
Sam (20) takes the helm of the band with his creative songwriting and melodic vocals. Robbie (19) is responsible for keeping your feet moving with his rhythmic drumming, while Daniel (23) ties everything together with fast action base line.
The band name, Opposite the Other, is interesting, in that it no specific meaning and is open to interpretation. “For us, music is a super powerful way of communicating’” says Robbie. Communication requires dialogue, and dialogue requires one to be opposite the other. However, it is up to you.
When asked to describe their sound, Sam enthusiastically said “flippen awesome,” and who could disagree? Together the three creates a well-blended hybrid of genres, including synth-pop with a little bit of indie influence. “But no one really cares about genres anymore anyway,” explained Sam. Nonetheless, they are still evolving and discovering their sound. “We’re still new, so we’re still trying to figure out what we want to say.”
They find a lot of inspiration from leading vocalists, like Chris Martin of Coldplay and Ryan Tedder of One Republic, as well as looking up to the musical genius, Hans Zimmer, the man behind famous film soundtracks like the Batman Trilogy.
They write all their own songs, with Sam usually starting the process on the piano with the music and then adding lyrics together. However, they take more time for lyrics. “It’s about finding the right thing to say, and Dan is the one who puts a lot of careful thought into it every little thing,” explained Robbie.
They have only released a handful of songs, however there is plenty more to come. They have an EP on the way with four brand new songs, which will be released later in October. They also have two new music videos, which will be released in the near future. So keep your eyes and ears peeled, Maties!
The last year and a half has been a roller-coaster ride for the band, with various standout moments and successes. Something that has astonished them the most has been how they have begun to play on the stages where they were once spectators, most notably for them, Rocking the Daisies main stage, their first arena show at the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg and the Kirstenbosch summer concerts. “For me, ticking of Kirstenbosch and GrandWest meant the most,” says Dan, who dreamed of playing the Kirstenbosch stage when he and Sam moved to Cape Town.
“Just the process of being able to write music and sharing it has been my favourite part,” said Sam, “I just love creating stuff.”
They are also especially excited to tour with and opening for Bastille on 4 October at GrandWest Arena in Cape Town and then again on 7 October at Emmarentia Dam in Johannesburg.
If you are looking for the best and easiest way to pump up your spring, Opposite the Other has you covered.
Photo: Anna van Rooyen
