When thinking of the name Dozi, you are immediately reminded of hits like Grassade in die Wind, Ou Ryperd and Tussen Jouen My and, in your mind’s eye, you get a clear picture of this beloved gentle giant who has dominated the local music scene for over two decades.

Dozi’s nineteenth studio album boasts twelve original tracks, of which three were written by the artist himself. Stef Kruger was responsible for the rest of the content and, according to the artist, he enjoyed working with this talented songwriter again. The content can mainly be described as a modern mixture of meaningful music, with a few upbeat tracks to lighten the mood. Because he believes in creating music with meaning, he credits As JyDeur Hel Gaan as one of his favourite songs on the album. “It’s a song that appeals to our current situation. I believe that when you write lyrics, it should be about something that is relevant to people’s lives,” he reveals about the song that he wrote himself.

Dozi (a.k.a. Henk Opperman) was born in Hluhluwe and grew up on a farm in Standerton. He started singing and playing guitar at the age of twelve and has always been a great source of entertainment to his friends, family and fans.

After completing his military service, he studied graphic design at the Technikon of Pretoria and, on a night out, he secured himself a regular gig at the local Spur. It was the beginning of a very long and successful music career. He performed until the early hours of the morning, which led to his nickname – Dozi – because he was so fond of sleeping during the day.

His professional career only really took off after meeting Hansie Roodt and Lydia Winchester. His first album, Mercy, which was a spiritual Zulu album, was released in 1999 and earned him a SAMA nomination for Best New Artist. Several award-winning platinum sellers, including Op Aanvraag, Storm op die Horison, Siyaya – Ons Gaan…and numerous number one radio hits followed.

Not only has Dozi become a regular at the country’s biggest music festivals and concerts over the years, but he has also gained notoriety on television for his own programme, Kom ’n Bietjie Binne, as a coach in two seasons of the reality show, Supersterre, and as a regular guest artist on Noot-vir-Noot.

According to him, he has had the privilege of working with most of the big names in the industry.

“I am inspired by what I hear, smell, see and feel. Although I regularly listen to international music, I am careful not to be overly interested in current music trends. A lot of people fall into that groove and then everything ends up sounding the same,” the singer shares. “I enjoy any type of music and will sometimes listen to classical music for hours. Blues has also become one of my favourite genres, because it speaks to me and I like the fact that it is a little behind the times.

His latest album if proof that he is still passionate about his job, but is also a gem of timeless hits that will most definitely remain popular for years to come.