South African band breaks crowdfunding record

The six-member group has not released an album for more than a decade, its last offering Swanesang coming in 2006. The funding campaign has generated a massive response and is a sign that fans are longing for new music from the Cape Town-based group.

Since it was founded, Thundafund, a leading South African crowdfunding podium, has hosted about 200 campaigns worth almost 11 million rand ($855 000). From all these campaigns, Fokofpolisiekar generated the biggest figure valued at R180 000 ($14 000) just two days after launching a dream target of R500 000. To date, the band is just over halfway to reaching the target, which is earmarked to cover album production costs, printing, a music video, marketing costs and various crowdfunding expenses.

Founding member Francois van Coke told local media that the band had not expected much from the campaign. “The response has been insane. Our plan was to go live a few days before the March payday and we were not expecting much funds to come in until mid-April,” he said. “Now we are already over halfway. The spirit of Fokof is alive and well but the trick is to keep the momentum. We still need to get just under R250K to make this project work."

Van Coke, who is also enjoying a successful solo career, appealed for more support from fans and promised that the band would give back the money if the target was not reached.

"We really urge fans to help us reach the dream goal,” he said. “To raise R500K for an album is insane but it is what is needed to create what we have in mind. If we do not reach the goal, everyone is getting their money back and then there is no album.”

Band member Jaco ‘Snakehead’ Venter said fans who donate R80 would get a digital copy of the album 30 days before its commercial release. The group wants to reach the target before 20 May so it can record and mix the album in June and July respectively. Pre-orders will go live in September and the album will be out in October.

Many South African artists are relying on crowdfunding to boost their capital. In January this year, a pair of filmmakers used crowdfunding website Indiegogo to raise funds to complete She is King, a musical film that aims to empower young African women.

Below is a video on why you should pledge for Fokofpolisiekar:

UPDATE

Fokofpolisiekar reached the R500 000 target to fund their new album on Friday 31 March, just nine days after launching the crowdfunding campaign via Thandafund.

This is what the band had to say on their Facebook page after reaching the lofty target in record time: "500k! Thanks a f***kload for all the insane support. Only 9 days into our #FokofCrowdFunding campaing and we’ve already reached our target. You guys are the best! Cheers to new music…we’re going to start writing right away. Don’t stop donating; there are still plenty of albums to buy!"

Below is the original message posted in Afrikaans by the music group on Facebook.