Beyond the Spotlight: Sonja Herholdt
Her voice made her the darling of Afrikaans music, when she sang about longing for a lost love in her first hit "Ek verlang na jou".
It was the beginning of a career in which the petite Sonja Herholdt hit it bigtime on the local music scene in the 1970s and 1980s.
From the humble beginnings in Nigel and a teaching diploma, Sonja fulfilled one of her ambitions to act, when she starred in "Sing vir die Harlekyn" in 1979.
Not only did the movie feature one of her all-time hits "Bring vir die Harlekyn nog wyn", but it also earned her a Rapport Oscar Award as Best Female Newcomer.
Through the years, Sonja released numerous albums and earned acclaim not only on home soil, but also overseas. She was the first ever South African singer to be invited to perform in the Netherlands.
Her songs are known to evoke emotion, from "Waterblommetjies" to "Skipskop", these are the songs that come from the heart.
Sonja's heart is still firmly set in music. But she has also returned to her first love - teaching pre-schoolers.
These days, she sings her way into the hearts of young and old, albeit it not in front of the camera or behind the microphone.
Sonja says if there's one thing life has taught her, it's that everything constantly changes. We have a choice to either accept that - or learn the lesson the hard way. She has chosen to embrace every new season in her life.