“No matter where you come from you can achieve amazing things. Your dreams don’t care about your background; you just have to put yourself out there.”
With these words of encouragement the Helderberg’s up-and-coming rap extraordinaire Saarah Lintnaar hopes to inspire others to pursue their dreams, just as she is trailblazing her own path in the music industry.
The 28-year-old Strand native and proud mother is making name for herself as Saarah the Lyrical Activist, delivering powerful raps on themes of mental health, women empowerment, self-love, and self-awareness. Beyond her recent appearances on podcasts and in media interviews, Saarah is garnering widespread acclaim for her popular 2023 singles, “Momma’s Anthem”, saluting motherhood, and “Millennial”, celebrating millennial pride and generational change.
The rap game changer is also about to release her first EP on “all life’s journeys”, which is a joint project with DJ Azuhl from Brasse Vannie Kaap.
“I am testament to the greatness inside of everyone, and that you can achieve everything if you stay true to yourself and have faith, which is essential in navigating life,” she reckoned.
Boom bap is Saarah’s signature hip-hop music-production style. However, the versatile artist is focused on authenticity and is eager to experiment with other genres to avoid being boxed in. The local music sensation, who values having her own opinions and questioning norms, does not blindly follow trends and embraces any opportunity to break barriers by stepping out of her comfort zone to grow as a talented lyricist.
“Initially I rapped in English with an American accent, greatly because of the artists I’d listened to,” she shared. “However, there is so much to and in me that still needs to flourish that it would be crazy to box myself in. I want to go very far, so much so that I’ve ventured into rapping in Afrikaans and my native vernacular, which feels amazing and authentic,” said Saarah, imploring readers to listen to “Tydlose Toon” featuring Terror MC, which available on all streaming platforms.
Saarah’s musical influences range from iconic figures such as Lauryn Hill to such hip-hop legends as the Notorious BIG and Tupac. She also draws inspiration from contemporary artists such as Rhapsody, J Cole, Kendrick Lamar and Youngsta CPT, the latter an artist she would gladly collaborate with, given they have a shared message and values as fellow Muslims.
Giving insight into her songwriting process, Saarah said her lyrics often come straight from the heart, based on personal experiences, especially those involving pain. “I write as an outlet, often resonating and reflecting on the situation to find the lesson and inspire others,” she pointed out.
“Sometimes I listen to a beat and become inspired. Or, I listen to someone else’s song and draw inspiration from it. Alternatively, I start writing and find a suitable beat afterwards.”
Saarah’s raps aim to address personal battles and experiences, especially with mental health, encourage and uplift fellow women and mothers, promote self-acceptance and appreciation, and encourage introspection and understanding.
During her matric year in 2014 she experienced a deep depression that required hospitalisation. Throughout those six months she channelled her emotions into songwriting. Despite the stigma surrounding being admitted to a mental-health facility she returned to school the following year and completed her matric.
Saarah reckoned her best work comes from turning pain into power. A difficult childhood forced her to mature at a young age and triggered her battle with mental health. However, her childhood shaped and strengthened her, and provided her with experiences to write about. She now encourages youth to seek help and speak about their battles, even if what they considered normal may not be.
Saarah discovered her passion for music at a young age, with her earliest experiences being as part of her primary school choir. In Grade 4, she developed a love for poetry and realised she had a way with words.
- Born Shanica Meyer, the artist embraced Islam in 2018 and now goes by the name Saarah. While her initial introduction to the faith was through a previous relationship, she is now happily married to her supportive husband who too converted to Islam.
- Her first rap was written at the tender age of 12 and it goes: “You can be as famous as you want to be. You can drive a Ferrari or a limousine. You can own a mansion or a country. But if you don’t have love, you nothing, you nothing.
“My mama used to tell me, love don’t cost a thing. Now we’re trying to go and buy it with the ching ching and gangsters are exchanging it for bling bling, for bling bling, for bling bling.I can’t believe what this world is coming to that these celebrity guys want to holler at you. They always driving in these cars that’s brand, brand new. Hey girls, you better be, be careful.”
At high school she listened to music that shaped her sound. However, her passion for music was ignited in her matric year, when she took to the school stage at a cheerleading event and rapped Nicki Minaj’s verse in “Moment for Life”.
“I enjoyed the feeling of the crowd rapping along, even though it wasn’t my lyrics. The experience sparked my pursuit of music.”
For a long time Saarah enjoyed rapping and singing along to lyrics at parties, but she wasn’t serious about pursuing it as a career. It wasn’t until recently that she decided to make a living from music.
The lyrical activist’s decision was influenced by negative workplace experiences, which reinforced her desire to stand up for herself and others, ultimately prompting her to step into her purpose and catapulting her towards music as a career.
The release of “Millennial” and the music video was a full-circle moment as she looks to make her mark on the national and international music scene, and hopes to start a merchandise brand in the near future.
“The video features my entire family, including my brother, daughter, dad and cousins, highlighting their unwavering support and involvement in musical journey. My dream is to have enough money to sort everyone out and be the one to help out others in need one day.”
Saarah currently records and produces music from home, using studio equipment purchased as a valuable investment promoting more independence and confidence in her musical abilities. Apart from other producers in the industry, she currently collaborates with Canadian beat maker “Louie On The Beat”, with whom she has formed a strong connection despite never having met in person.
Furthermore, Saarah is honing her on-stage persona with more live performances and event features.
Her message to other aspiring artists: “Stay authentic. Figure out who you are and do not try to be like anyone else.
“Make sure that you have a positive message because music is one of the most influential things, especially for today’s youth.”
