South African Teenagers in Bermuda Releases Single Giving Young People Something to Aspire To

The talented singers and songwriters, Moya (16) and Iona (13) van Niekerk, who is refereed to and known as moya & iona, are a South African sister duo, residing in Bermuda, in the British Overseas Territory, off the coast of the USA.

Their first single, SIXTEEN CANDLES, has just been released. It is a pop song and it is about feeling lost and searching for something to hold on to. The song is written from a perspective of a teenager, struggling to find friendship and love that lasts.

“We recently watched the TV show, The Summer I Turned Pretty, and we both felt connected to the main character, Isabella and her struggle with relationships and finding her path,” says Iona.

“The song is specifically aimed at teenagers and wanting to fit in. The song is very special to both of us as it resonates with experiences we have had, or perhaps might endure in the future. The song has powerful lyrics that display strong emotion, emotion that the listeners may have felt, both young and old. This, paired with the beautiful music, creates a song that will appeal to all and resonate deeply,” Moya adds.

The single was recorded at Alwyn Bekker Studios in Pretoria when they recently visited their home country to record 12 songs, of which 11 are originals, that they wrote themselves.  Iona was born in South Africa, where they resided for 2 years. From the UK, they moved to Bermuda, where they have been living for the past 7 years. Most of their family are still in South Africa and South Africa will always have a special place in their hearts.

Beyond their music endeavours, Moya has just started her first year of IB (International Baccalaureate) and Iona is in year 9. Moya often participates in debate and public speaking and has shared this love with Iona. Iona often helps with sound design for local plays. They both volunteer at their local church youth group and performs on a regular basis.

Looking ahead, they will be releasing another single towards the end of the year. Moya is also off to Berlin to partake in a Model United Nations conference for which she has been preparing the last two months. Iona will be working backstage at her school's annual play.

Listen to the single here: