Rob Rodell

Big man. Big voice... Described by Daphne Kuhn at Theatre on the Square as hugely versatile, Rob Rodell sings, acts, speaks, can MC an event, and can deliver a keynote address in his field of expertise. He has 25 years of performing experience and is busy with his PhD in marketing communications. 

As a South African Music Award (SAMA) nominee and gold-selling artist, Rodell is a man who wears many musical hats. He is a singer-songwriter, performing music artist, music academic, music entrepreneur, author, writer, blogger, speaker and marketing expert. Even musically speaking, Rodell is the quintessential juxtaposition of styles and genres: best described as Josh Groban meets Madonna, Rodell has combined the best of his classical training with a contemporary sound, to create a style that is as unique as it is distinctive. 

Rodell began singing at age 3, first appeared on stage at 9, went into studio at 11, first appeared on TV at 13, and did his first professional gig at age 16. A late starter, he wrote his first original music at age 21 and has spent the better part of his life making music, with a professional career spanning some 25 years. 

For fans of Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Sting, Elton John, Adele, David Guetta and Swedish House Mafia, Rodell’s sound will appeal. The same thoughtful vocal delivery and easy lyrics make for a vibe that is mellifluous and pleasant on the ear, while also pumping blood through the veins with the latest, catchiest dance beats. Rodell has released 12 albums to date, with six of them containing original music. He is currently working on another three albums. 

In 2006, Rodell and partner Tzipora won the Top Billing Momentum Lifestyle Music Award, beating future SAMA winners Goldfish and Moreira. 

Whilst working at Soul Candi between 2009 and 2011, Rodell met and worked with a whole bunch of talented young producers, who took his vocals and, with his assistance, created a whole new sub-genre of House music that infuses deep, commercial, tribal and electro House with strong classical undertones. One of those tracks was Could This Be Love, created by the genius of award-wining producer and DJ Cuebur, together with popular DJ Shimza. The result was a radio hit and a gold single, as certified by the Recording Industry of South Africa. 

In 2011, Rodell’s album A Cappella Christmas Vol. 1 was nominated for a SAMA, showing his diversity as a singer, switching between classical and contemporary sounds. In the same year, he won the Demartini Institute Award for the Most Inspiring Client of the Year. 

In 2012, the remixed house track Could This Be Love was nominated as the runner-up at the 48 Hour Music Video Project Awards, while the video itself won the coveted best director and best editing awards. Rodell was invited to perform in Houston in 2015 and in New York in 2016, and won the best vocal performance trophy at the West Rand Music Festival in 2016. 

Also in 2016, an original track of Rodell’s was included as part of a new play which was performed at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, and he won the Award for the Most Enquiring Mind at the music industry’s Showbiz Arts Entertainment Expo. 

Rodell is currently busy with his D Litt et Phil degree on creating brands in the music industry, and his BMus with voice as main instrument. In 2009, he became the first person in the world to do the Rockshool licentiate in singing, passing with distinction. Rodell has also done the certificate courses in management and marketing for the music industry, and business principles for songwriters and music publishers, both at Wits, passing the latter with distinction. Rodell is the owner of The Music Business Academy, a tertiary institution which educates people on the music industry. 

Rob as MC/Guest Speaker/Keynote Address 

Aside from his musical background, Rob Rodell has been in the marketing communications field for 25 years. He has lectured at Wits, UJ, Vega, Boston City Campus, Varsity College, the Global School of Business, and on IMM and Unisa courses. He also has experience working in the corporate world for a multiplicity of companies offering a variety of products and services. 

Rodell has a master’s degree in marketing communications, with his thesis topic being on trends in branding. He is a PhD student working towards his doctorate, which is an in-depth look on iconicity within branding. 

Rob would be able to deliver a presentation of 30-45 minutes on any of the following topics: 

Brand Loyalty is Nonsense: why consumers (and staff) are not loyal to your company or its products/services, and what you can do about it. 

Even marketing experts mistakenly preach the gospel of brand loyalty. Take a closer look, though, and you will see that consumers are brand promiscuous, and will switch from your product or service to a competitor at the drop of a hat. What can you do about it? Stay tuned, and find out… 

Writing with Flair: using the power of words to build your brand. 

This presentation is aimed at SMEs who are looking to use marketing communications in an effective way, with zero-based budgeting or very small budgets. By connecting the right message with the right audience, companies can break through the marketing clutter and get their story out there. 

Marketing 101: back to basics. 

It’s not for nothing that marketing is one of the key elements of an MBA programme, since it is such an integral part of strategically managing your company. Rodell will walk you through the elements of the marketing process, showing you the basic elements that make marketing work, and debunking myths as he goes along. 

Trends in Branding. 

Rodell speaks on three contemporary trends in branding that will alter the way you view this ever-changing field, since branding is defined as the glue that holds all of marketing together. When done, your company will be at the forefront of business innovation in marketing communications. 

We cannot NOT communicate. 

Human communication is inevitable, even if you don’t say anything. In today’s world especially, with the advent of social media and digital technologies, your company is speaking volumes when it’s saying nothing – and that is part of the problem. 

Brand Authenticity: the driving force of company success. 

People can smell a fake a mile away, and they invest more in gut-level instinct than companies give them credit for. See how you can effectively align bottom-line KPIs with the psychology and nuance of branding, to help your organisation navigate the choppy waters of a modern competitive environment. 

Music Business: why your career should not be just a hobby. 

From marketing and branding to finance and management, music is a business, not a hobby. Protecting intellectual property is just the beginning of the story. Gain insider knowledge on how being registered with SAMRO is a great start, but it’s most certainly not enough. 

This keynote address would be for specialised audiences only.