Sidetracked with Ju-aan

[notice]A monthly interview column in which Mike Beets tunes into the heartbeat of Christian musicians and the SA Christian music industry.[/notice]

Ju-aan’s story is one of a young man that survived the agony of his parents’ divorce and stood up against depression to overcome the lies the darkness was spewing at him. Ju-aan hails from a small town in the Northern-Cape called Kathu. No one knows exactly where this is; my guess is somewhere between a dirt road and a little man made dam. Nevertheless these humble beginnings have formed a young man with an insurmountable passion for Jesus and the story of the cross. Ju-aan knew from a young age he wanted to be a performer but it took some time for him to muster the courage to climb onstage and sing in front of people. At age 12 he entered the school idols competition and to his own surprise won the event.  After this, performing onstage became easier and he started performing at CANSA events for the next couple of years.

The Ridiculous 10 with Ju-aan

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The ridiculous 10 is where we fire 10 ridiculous questions to our artist to get their ridiculous response for no apparent reason.

1. If you were a pizza, what pizza would you be and why?

A: Probably something with bacon! I love bacon!

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2. If you could sing one song on idols, what would it be?

A: “Killing me softly” because I know Randal can’t stand it and just to get back at him for saying I was too young the first time I went to audition.

3. Why are tennis balls so fuzzy?

A: Some say that the Stig voluntarily glues fuzz onto tennis balls. All we know is, he’s called The Stig.

4. Where is the internet?

A: Simply put, when Santa saw that he wouldn’t be able to work through all the letters that boys and girls all around the world send him every year, and because some of them get lost during shipping, he became a software developer, scientist and networking wiz to solve this problem. He created something called the SantaNet where parents submitted their kids’ wish lists to Santa. This later evolved into what we now know as the internet. THUS!!!! The internet is in the South Pole. 

5. What song best describes your sense of humour?

A: All the single ladies! With the exception that I am a man of course.

6. A penguin comes walking through the door wearing a sombrero, what does he say and why is he here?

A: He comes in looking for Santa because the SantaNet is down while testing a newly developed sombrero that plays jingle bells in a Mexican fashion, saying: “Awe mase kind! Kyki nuh! Daars mos hopeloos te veel stout kinners inni wereld! Onse naughty meta se fuse het geblaas!”

7. When is it unacceptable to dress up your pet Chihuahua?

A: NEVER!! Dogs have rights too. One of the basic rights a Chihuahua has is the right to always look amazingly cute!

8. On a scale of 1 to fruitcake, how weird are you?

A: I’ve been waiting to answer a question just like this ever since I was a backup singer for tannie Patricia Lewis. I am petrol cake weird!

9. If yellow is by the door and green is at the window where are you?

A: Next to Six on the floor under the table, asking him why he’s hiding from Seven.

10. Taking this question into consideration, is there such a thing as a stupid question? 

A: Sometimes… Some people question if Santa really created the internet. It’s a stupid question, duh, of course he did!

Divorce, depression and deliverance
Ju-aan recalls a prophecy on his life when he was only 5 years old by an American pastor that said he would one day sing for the glory of God, but by the time he reached High-School his parents were filling for divorce and he found himself falling into a very dark hole. Ju-aan admits this broke him and any little bit of faith that he had left in God. He was tumbling deeper into depression as the lure of suicide grew bigger and questions about life and God kept piling up with no one around to answer them.  It wasn’t until two years later when a friend invited him to a youth group gathering that Ju-aan stepped foot into a church again. The week before the youth meeting Ju-aan was in serious talks with God. Hoping to grasp at something more than he had, he was firing questions at God a mile-a-minute. The same questions that plagued him ever since his parents’ divorce two years before. He remembers thinking that If God doesn’t answer these questions he will never return to any church again. That night Ju-aan could not keep his jaw off the floor as every question that he put to God was answered by the Pastor in his sermon. After the service he met up with the pastor and dedicated his life to Jesus. He ended up being the youth leader in that very same church a couple of years on. As he grew a stronger relationship with God Ju-aan realised the feelings of depression and suicide were slipping away and replaced with an inexplicable joy. God had given him a new reason to live.

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For the glory of God
Ju-aan turned his focus to singing for the glory of God. That very same year he felt pressed by God to write some songs of his own. Having tried before he was very hesitant to give it another shot. This time around the lyrics flowed from his pen as he was sitting at the feet of God simply taking notes. He recalls how song writing became easier as he gradually came to know the voice of God in his life. Ju-aan fondly describes one of his most memorable moments as being included to sing a song on an Afrikaans compilation album called Getuienis. This was one of his first major breakthroughs and God has been opening doors ever since. Ju-aan describes his elation every time one of his songs get play listed by a radio station; “I am all about reaching people for God, so every time a radio station says yes to playlist one of my songs I kind of freak out a little bit. It’s cool to think that God can use my music to help people through difficult times in their lives”.

Future plans
Apart from his studies and music Ju-aan also describes himself as a technology nut. He goes on to explain; “I am a geek! I love computers, gadgets, games and basically anything that runs an operating system”. With all this happening in his life he still is a focussed young man with a mission on his mind and a passion in his heart. He reminisces about all that God has done for him and his future plans and says that he would love to be a full time musician after his studies, but being realistic as well he adds that he would be happy wherever God wants him to be. “There are no guarantees in life. I realise as well that my time for doing something can be completely different from what God has in mind. I am happy with whatever He decides is the right thing for me. He knows what makes me happy and I am confident that He will give me what I need, when I need it”.

Ju-aan’s new song, Amaze me, can be previewed and purchased at http://www.fluister.co.za/index.asp?bodyType=songdetail&music_id=952 and you can connect with him on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/juaanvdpoll) and twitter ( https://twitter.com/JuAanvanderPoll ).

• “Mike Beets lives with his wife, Monique and young son on the east rand of Gauteng. Mike and Monique share a music ministry called RisenEvermore where they share the Gospel via their own brand of acoustic worship. Mike has always had a passion for music and writing and has felt the Lord intensify this passion over the last couple of years. Besides his own blog, Mike writes for a couple of other publications as well. His biggest passion lies in spreading the Gospel, be it in music or writing.