Bobby van Jaarsveld

Biography

Pieter van Jaarsveld, professionally known as Bobby van Jaarsveld, (born 6 March 1987) is a South African Afrikaans-language pop singer-songwriter and actor. He released his debut studio album, Duisend Ure×Duisend Ure2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Talina3:472Duisend Ure3:573Boemelaar3:284Saartjie3:09524 Uur3:566Verlange Wat Pla3:277Wanneer3:208Obs En Kaggelvuur3:219Ek Gee Nie Om3:2310Roekeloos2:4311Afrika-Lied3:4112Neil Diamond Medley7:40 in 2006.
His second studio album, Net Vir Jou×Net Vir Jou6 October 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Spieeltjie3:352Kyk Waar Is Ons Nou3:433Net Vir Jou3:494Vlieg Vanaand3:445Vertel My3:376Keen Jy My3:197Wie Is Jy3:158Storie Van My Lewe3:359Lovesong Letter3:3110Jy Kon Nie Bly Nie (Pretoria)3:4211Annatjie3:2412Alleen3:1513Net Vir Jou Acoustic3:4614Thank You3:43 (2009) enjoyed greater commercial success and yielded the singles "Net Vir Jou" and "Spieëltjie". In 2012, he released his third studio album, Wat Geld Nie Kan Koop Nie×Wat Geld Nie Kan Koop Nie19 September 2012 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1'n Vrou Wil Dit Hoor4:302Eens in 'n Leeftyd3:493Wat Geld Nie Kan Koop Nie3:224My Berg, Sion3:375Wonderwerk3:426Laat My Lewe3:287Sirkus3:238Alles Vir Jou3:509Jy Doen Dit Weer3:1210Ek Wil Jou Held Wees3:3311Soet September3:3812Soet En Bitter3:3013These Walls Are Coming Down (Jericho)3:5714Yeshua, The Messiah3:1815Kan Ek Met Jou Praat3:2216My Lewe Draai Om Jou3:11. His fourth studio album, Maak 'n Wens×Maak 'n Wens20 October 2014 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1My Alles3:162Dis Wat Jy Aan My Doen3:013Een Vir Een3:384Butterflies3:055Storieman3:456Maak 'n Wens3:107Beter Helfte3:568Reuse4:019Elke Minuut3:2910Dit Is Hier3:4211Dis Ons Huis3:3512Jy Sê Nie Meer Nie3:2613Totaal Finaal2:5014Ek Moes Jou Gesoen Het3:1815Toe Ons Jonk Was3:33 (2014), reached no. 4 on the South African Albums Chart, marking his highest chart position to date.
As an actor he has starred in a number of films such as Liefling – Die Movie (2010), As Jy Sing (2013), Free State (2016) and Eksie Perfeksie (2024). He has also appeared in a number of television projects such as Spoorloos (2022) and Ek, Hy en Jy (2025-26). In 2025, he starred in the stage musical adaptation of the romantic comedy, Semi-Soet (2012).
He was also a judge on The Voice South Africa for two seasons (2016-17).

Early life

Van Jaarsveld, who was nicknamed "Bobby" after his father, was born on 6 March 1987 in Paarl, Western Cape. He is the second of three children and has two sisters, one of whom is also a singer (Karlien van Jaarsveld). As a child, he attended several primary schools before matriculating from Brits High School.

Music

Van Jaarsveld started his professional singing career in high school when he was offered singing record, and he released his first solo album in his last year. He won the award for Best Newcomer at the Huisgenoot Tempo Awards in 2006 after receiving three nominations from the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees, Vonk (a local music magazine) and Huisgenoot Tempo magazine. As the winner of this category, Van Jaarsveld performed at the Skouspel Extravaganza hosted at Sun City, and continued to do until 2011.
In November 2006, Theuns Jordaan Productions offered Van Jaarsveld a recording contract. His first album, 'n Duisend Ure×Duisend Ure2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Talina3:472Duisend Ure3:573Boemelaar3:284Saartjie3:09524 Uur3:566Verlange Wat Pla3:277Wanneer3:208Obs En Kaggelvuur3:219Ek Gee Nie Om3:2310Roekeloos2:4311Afrika-Lied3:4112Neil Diamond Medley7:40, was released later that year and album sales reached gold status. His second album, Net Vir Jou×Net Vir Jou6 October 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Spieeltjie3:352Kyk Waar Is Ons Nou3:433Net Vir Jou3:494Vlieg Vanaand3:445Vertel My3:376Keen Jy My3:197Wie Is Jy3:158Storie Van My Lewe3:359Lovesong Letter3:3110Jy Kon Nie Bly Nie (Pretoria)3:4211Annatjie3:2412Alleen3:1513Net Vir Jou Acoustic3:4614Thank You3:43, was released in 2009 by Coleske Artists. Van Jaarsveld wrote and composed each of the tracks on the album. Album sales reached platinum status within eight weeks, and have since reached double platinum status with sales of 83,000 units. Songs from the album include Spieëltjie and Net Vir Jou.
In January 2010, Van Jaarsveld was awarded the Viewers' Favourite Artist award for 2001 on DKNT, a local music program on DStv. That same year, "Spieëltjie", a song from his second album, won Best Afrikaans Song at both the Huisgenot Tempo and Vonk Awards. He went on to release two more albums, "Wat Geld Nie Kan Koop Nie×Wat Geld Nie Kan Koop Nie19 September 2012 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1'n Vrou Wil Dit Hoor4:302Eens in 'n Leeftyd3:493Wat Geld Nie Kan Koop Nie3:224My Berg, Sion3:375Wonderwerk3:426Laat My Lewe3:287Sirkus3:238Alles Vir Jou3:509Jy Doen Dit Weer3:1210Ek Wil Jou Held Wees3:3311Soet September3:3812Soet En Bitter3:3013These Walls Are Coming Down (Jericho)3:5714Yeshua, The Messiah3:1815Kan Ek Met Jou Praat3:2216My Lewe Draai Om Jou3:11" and "Maak 'n Wens×Maak 'n Wens20 October 2014 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1My Alles3:162Dis Wat Jy Aan My Doen3:013Een Vir Een3:384Butterflies3:055Storieman3:456Maak 'n Wens3:107Beter Helfte3:568Reuse4:019Elke Minuut3:2910Dit Is Hier3:4211Dis Ons Huis3:3512Jy Sê Nie Meer Nie3:2613Totaal Finaal2:5014Ek Moes Jou Gesoen Het3:1815Toe Ons Jonk Was3:33" in 2012 and 2014, respectively.
In February 2016, his single "Middernag Serenade" peaked at number 2 on the Maroela Media Afrikaanse Top-20 chart of the top-selling Afrikaans singles in South Africa. In the same year, his single "HOLY" topped the South African iTunes chart. In 2018, he released a new single, "Die Land", with Steve Hofmeyr, Bok van Blerk, Jay, and Rohan du Toit. The song peaked at number 2 on the Maroela Media Afrikaanse Top-20 chart. In December 2019, his single "Ek weet al kanal", a duet with Demi Lee Moore, topped the Maroela Media Afrikaanse Top-20 chart. In October 2020, his single "Sprokie", a duet with Early B, peaked at number 11 on the Maroela Media Afrikaanse Top-20 chart. In August 2023, his single "Toe, nou en altyd", also peaked at number 11 on the Maroela Media Afrikaanse Top-20 chart.
In March 2024, he released the single "Verlore seun", which peaked at number 7 on the Maroela Media Afrikaanse Top-20 chart. In August of the same year, he released the single "Lief My Weer Lewendig". The song peaked at number 14 on the Maroela Media Afrikaanse Top-20 chart. In August, he also performed the national anthem of South Africa in Perth in Australia before kickoff of the test match between the Australia national rugby union team and South Africa national rugby union team.
In December 2024, he released a new single, "Niks Soos Liefde Nie" (Nothing Like Love), which reflects on the end of his marriage. The song debuted at number 18 on the Maroela Media Afrikaanse Top-20 chart.
In April 2025, his single "Wat Dit Ook Al Vat" peaked at number 6 on the Maroela Media Afrikaanse Top-20 chart. Later that month, he had a second hit on the chart, with "Shut up en soen my", a duet with Irene-Louise Van Wyk, peaking at number 2. In August of the same year, he topped the chart with "Boer Ding×Boer Ding25 July 2025 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Boer Ding3:32".
In March 2026, his single "Regte Plekke" peaked at number 3 on the Maroela Media Afrikaans Top-20 chart.

Film and television

Van Jaarsveld played the lead character in the Afrikaans film Liefling – Die Movie, which was released in November 2010 by Hartiwood Studios South Africa and fetched R16 million at the local box office. He also starred in the film As Jy Sing in 2013.
In 2022, he was cast in the fourth season of the South African crime drama anthology television series Spoorloos.
In 2024, he starred in Eksie Perfeksie, an Afrikaans comedy on Showmax.

Reality TV

In 2016, Van Jaarsveld began appearing as a judge on the local singing competition The Voice SA.
Between 2017 and 2019, he and his sister were the subjects of the Showmax reality series Bobby & Karlien: In Jou Skoene. In each episode, the siblings spend 48 hours with people that have fallen on hard times or face other immense challenges in their lives.
In 2024, he participated in the new season of Tropika Island of Treasure in Zanzibar, which his sister, Karlien, won the previous year. In the same year, he appeared as a contestant on SABC's local version of Masked Singer. He used the alter-ego "Mielie" for his performances.

Personal life

Van Jaarsveld is a professed Christian. He and his wife Annatjie van Jaarsveld, whom he married in January 2011, have two sons, Sion and Leben and a daughter named Armani In 2018 van Jaarsveld and his family decide to leave their home in Pretoria and relocated to Ballito. On 24 November 2024, van Jaarsveld revealed that he and his wife were getting divorced.
In 2016, he was named by Cosmopolitan (South Africa) as "the sexiest man in South Africa". In 2017, the Afrikaans women's magazine, Sarie named him as "South Africa's most beautiful man".

Singles

2009: "Spieëltjie"
2010: "Net vir jou×Net Vir Jou6 October 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Spieeltjie3:352Kyk Waar Is Ons Nou3:433Net Vir Jou3:494Vlieg Vanaand3:445Vertel My3:376Keen Jy My3:197Wie Is Jy3:158Storie Van My Lewe3:359Lovesong Letter3:3110Jy Kon Nie Bly Nie (Pretoria)3:4211Annatjie3:2412Alleen3:1513Net Vir Jou Acoustic3:4614Thank You3:43"
2011: "Kyk Waar is ons Nou"
2013: "'n Vrou wil dit hoor"
2014: "My Alles"
2015: "Een vir Een"
2016: ""Middernag Serenade"
2017: "HOLY"
2018: "Die Land" (with Steve Hofmeyr, Bok van Blerk, Jay, and Rohan du Toit)
2019: "Ek weet al kanal" (with Demi Lee Moore)
2020: "Sprokie (featuring Early B)"
2023: "Toe, nou en altyd"
2024: "Verlore seun"
2024: "Lief My Weer Lewendig"
2024: "Niks Soos Liefde Nie" (Nothing Like Love)
2025: "Wat Dit Ook Al Vat"
2025: "Shut up en soen my" with Irene-Louise Van Wyk