10 minutes with local taste makers Gloria Del Mar

Meet Gloria Del Mar, the newest addition to the local music scene. With her infectious personality and natural talent for songwriting and performing, Gloria is quickly gaining recognition for her raw, acoustic sound.

Her first EP titled This was meant to be brief was recorded in the comfort of her own bedroom and launched in June of 2022 to a select few family and friends at Vinyls Music Cafe in Windhoek. Since then, she has been making waves with her original songs and occasional covers. But the artist has come a long way to become the stage performer we are beginning to fall in love with…

From a young age, Gloria has been in love with music, encouraged by her mother to pick up instruments such as the piano, guitar and violin. Although her love for music manifested early, it wasn’t until seeing her siblings perform in school plays that she realised a career in musical theatre was part of her dream. The songstress studied environmental economics in Los Angeles, where her musical career was put on the back burner as she focused on obtaining her degree. Returning to home soil, Gloria picked up her instruments again and is actively dedicated to promoting her original music, inspired by the likes of Adele and Sam Smith.

While Gloria’s music style is primarily acoustic, she incorporates various genres into her music. She describes her sound as a mix of pop, soul and folk, with a focus on telling stories through her lyrics. Her music is raw, authentic and deeply personal, drawing from her own experiences and emotions.

Gloria also attends acting classes, which helps her with stage presence for musical performances. The little Gloria inside probably still yearns for the likes of Broadway, but she is already creating a buzz with her impressive live performances around Windhoek. Despite once suffering from stage fright, Gloria is now an energetic performer who commands attention with her captivating voice and soulful melodies. She attributes her personal and career growth to her coaches, including Emily Dangwa.

Gloria is bent on not only claiming her stake in the Namibian music scene, but also contributing to its collective growth. She believes that there is immense potential if everyone works together, adding that gatekeeping collaborators do the entire industry a disservice. “There is plenty of pie for everyone to go around,” says Gloria. With a radiant smile, bubbly personality and heaps of talent, she is here to help serve it up!

Charene Labuschagne