Interview: Mynie Grové and Kim Kallie, Songbirds, music story cocktail of two friends at Die Koelkamers

Mynie Grové and Kim Kallie met in recording studios in Johannesburg in the 80s. This was way before digital platforms. Hard copy albums were highly prized and making the ‘hit parade’ was everything. They went on from signing to other pursuits. Kallie was active in musical theatre and then took a break from performing, to teach and mentor emerging talents at the Kim Kallie Music Academy in Cape Town. She continued to perform intermittently, with artists such as her mother, the legendary singer, Judy Page. Grové stepped away from the limelight into the role of producer and musical entrepreneur. They have remained friends and now in 2025, they have decided to share the stage in Songbirds, two concerts at Die Koelkamers Teater at the Paternoster Waterfront, West Coast, Cape on February 21 and 22, 2025. It is a show which celebrates their stories and journeys as artists and friends:

TCR: How did Songbirds come about at Die Koelkamers? Whose idea was it?

Mynie Grové: Last September [2024] the Banners [husband and wife, Iain Banner and Kim Kallie] visited Die Koelkamers. After meeting Jan Malan, co-owner of Die Koelkamers, Kim video called and told me that Jan owns some recordings of mine. At this point Iain video-bombed the call and told me in no uncertain terms to dust off the vocal chords. He had gone ahead and booked the theatre for February 2025. It was not negotiable, lol.

Kim Kallie: Yes, it was exactly like that. Iain and I spent a weekend away in Paternoster. While we were chatting to Jan Malan at Die Koelkamers, in conversation, I mentioned Mynie. He walked from the actual venue to a little library/foyer at the entrance and found Mynie’s CD. He knew exactly where it was. He took it off the shelf and told us that he loved her song, Love Thief. As Mynie says, I immediately called her. Iain interrupted the call and told us that we would be doing a show there soon. That is literally how this journey began. Of course we both giggled at the idea but Iain was serious A few weeks later, he called Mynie and compelled her to dust off her vocal chords and return to the stage, with me alongside. To everybody’s surprise – other than Iain- Mynie said ‘yes’. I think that she surprised herself. We then put our thinking caps and here we go. The actual concept/idea for the show came from me. Once we found our starting point, it was easy. The story tells itself, through the weaving of the songs.

TCR: Mynie, on your Facebook page, you enthuse that Songbirds is “a show about flying on the wings of music, weaving different stories through songs and their interpretation … a lovely music story cocktail of two friends.” Love that – can you both give insights into the show?

MG: The title and theme were born though the idea of who we both are. We are songbirds.  The trick was to fit two completely different career trajectories into one show for two friends who have only done TV and recording sessions. We have never performed together and done a live show. The show winds around a timeline of our lives – up until now.

KK: Performing a live show together is incredibly exciting as Mynie and I have known one another since I was about 22 years old. That is a long time. We both sang in recording studios in Johannesburg. Mynie gave me lessons during that time. We both worked extensively on TV. We became good friends. Although our careers moved in different directions, our personal lives were intertwined, even when we lived in different cities. We always made time to come together. Music and family life were our meeting points. This show highlights our different interests, journeys and passion for music, entertainment and theatre and of course the ever growing and changing dynamics of family life.

TCR: How and when did you first meet? Memories of that first meeting in Johannesburg in the 80s?

MG: I cannot recall a formal meeting. We were constantly bumping into each other in the studios and at singing sessions. I knew that she was [is] Judy Page’s daughter. I loved her little girl voice on Montreal [recorded in 1967, when Kallie was 8]. I sat up like lighting when we did Elton John Songbook and I heard Kim solo on Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word. She was magical.

KK: I also can’t remember exactly when we first met, but it was in a studio in Johannesburg.  I remember that I was booked to do a jingle with choir voices. I landed up with the A team of session singers – about 8 or 10 singers. They all knew one another really well, so you can just imagine the hilarious banter flying around the studio. I’d never worked with choir or blended voices before so it was a learning curve. The singers were quick and professional at their craft. They knew exactly what was needed and they spoke another kind of session singer’s abbreviated language. I had to learn very quickly and I did. It was around this time that my friendship with Mynie begun. We were friends on the stage in a professional capacity, but personal friends through many journeys along our personal paths.

TCR: Mynie, this is the first time you are performing on stage, after an absence of 20 years? What made you decide now to go back on stage?

MG:  After a personal tragedy I couldn’t deal with being in the spotlight, anymore. I continued to do pop-up TV and stage performances but as artist, l left the recording business. I realised that I enjoy the background, behind the scenes far more than being in the limelight. I enjoyed and thrived on giving support and encouragement to artists. Support, encouragement and mentorship is lacking in the music business.

Kim was there at a most happy time in my life, when I was expecting my 2^nd baby. She was there four months after baby’s birth, when my husband tragically passed. She was there when I returned to Cape Town as a widow. She had just returned from the UK and that bond remained. We have a girl circle called Slippa Sistas with four other local songbirds. Our friendship is like wearing slippers. We are comfortable and open in each other’s company. Her warm nature and kindness is so endearing and she knows her way around a song. I love her voice.

TCR: Kim, you have never stopped performing. There have been shows like Menopause the Musical (2007, Pieter Toerien in Cape Town) and you have performed with your mom, the legendary Judy Page. You run the Kim Kallie Performance Academy, so I imagine that takes up a fair amount of time?

KK: I have continued to perform but not on a regular basis as in the extended run of a show. My life as mother, wife, granny, step in manager and general fix-it person has taken loads of time and effort too. Soon after I did Menopause for Pieter Toerien I opened my academy. That came about when my daughter Sarah-Paige got her law degree and turned to me one day and said ’Mum what are you going to do now that Matthew and I are all grown up?’ A friend asked me if I could help get her daughter prepared for an audition. I had been the performance and singing coach on big national and international shows and I said – ‘yes’. We had great fun.

The Academy opened its doors in the hallway of our home, where the piano lived. The students and I worked – hard. The numbers grew, so I had to learn about being time conscious and really planning my life in a more organised fashion. Many of my students have now got international careers in their chosen fields of singing and performance.

Over the years, on a professional performance level, yes, I   haveworked with my mum, Judy Page on many shows writing and producing. I absolutely love working with her. We are a team. We understand each other completely. So yes, I’ve been busy – working and performing.

TCR: Mynie, you have been doing a lot in the music business. Can you tell us a bit about what you have been doing?

MG: I have been a recording artist, songwriter, composer, producer and loving every TV show that I was lucky enough to do. My dream was always to be a movie star, and TV was the closest I got to it.

I neglected my personal career while doing the Topstars project for Shoprite Group of Companies, from 2006 to 2019, giving talented shop floor workers the self-confidence to shine. Covid came and I went into an almost catatonic state. Afterwards I needed to escape the city and I am still finding my feet in a new environment on all fronts.

I am not afraid of a challenge and so I forge my way through every new doorway that presents itself. Getting my show toes wet again with Kim in the shallow water with me, I simply share the talent I was given, nothing more, nothing less. All the times I left my singing behind was a needful personal restoration. Now that I don’t have to do it for any other reason but that I can. It is pretty inspiring.

TCR: Can you talk about how different the music industry is now, compared to when you both started. Then it was physical albums – vinyls, tapes and then CDs. Now it is mostly virtual. Some memories?

KK: When I was very young, I recorded a song called Montreal with my mum at Gallo Studios in Johannesburg. We recorded on a 2 inch, 24 track, analogue tape (reel to reel). I will never forget looking up at the control booth that was a full floor and a half above where we were standing. It was daunting. It was big enough to hold the entire symphony orchestra. It was a very intimidating start to the business. That song went on to be a top 10 Springbok hit parade success.

When I was around 20 and started doing sessions, we still recorded on tapes and we all had to meet at the designated recording studios, in Johannesburg central and work together perfectly in tune; blended voices, understanding the atmosphere of the product we were trying to launch, or the song we were trying to sing or the artist that we had to individually copy. There were no tuning or timing apps to help you sound good. You had to sing from 10am in the morning to 2am the next morning 6 days a week. There was a huge sense of camaraderie, competition and respect.

I also have a number of platinum albums under the name of Margino. We toured all over the country to the townships that we could go to – that we had access to. Those were the best audiences ever. They knew every word to every song.  

In those days we had to tour our product on the music circuits. We had live musicians, rehearsals, sound checks and a healthy dose of hard work. We had so many tricks up our sleeves to make vocals work and sound different. When recording, if you got it wrong you had to start all over again.

Now it is very different. There are so many apps out there. One doesn’t need a musical background to create music – just imagination and the will. There are many superb musicians who create untasteful music. Everyone has access to whatever they want to listen to these days… I could go on this is a huge subject.

MG: Those recording company days were challenging for a person like me, as a woman in a man’s business before it was de rigueur. It was frustrating as an artist to be told what to do and how. The great thing about music or a career in it, is that it never dies. The great difference now, for me, is to live music authentically. Fame is a multi-faceted state and that [fame] t is absolutely not necessary for me to follow my true north.

It means that any music activity I do from now on comes only from my heart. I am looking forward to writing and recording an extremely special song with my 2^nd son and youngest child, Clem, who is a great singer, a great songwriter and wordsmith of note, so to speak. He is the circle that I sing about in a song called, Always. Now I to have to rope in my eldest who has a great rock voice. But he is a hard nut to crack – the time will come.

TCR: Anything else to add about Songbirds?

KK: I am so excited to be doing this show together with Mynie. Our time together is now.

MG: It’s a special and unique moment for both of us. Iain Banner, Kim’s husband and darling who does not understand how grass grows under anyone’s feet at any time for any reason, spoke the word and new seed fell into my fertile ears. And as always, I am astounded at his vision and drive. In a way, I am doing this purely because he asked. It was the right time.

✳ Kim Banner and Mynie Grové have known each other ‘forever’ and are celebrating their friendship and journey as songbirds, with two concerts, Songbirds on February 21 and 22, 2025 at Die Koelkamers Teater at the Paternoster Waterfront, West Coast, Cape. Bookings online: www.diekoelkamers.com