If Karlien van Jaarsveld could turn back time, she would make the same choices, as she believes everyone has a unique path to follow on this earth. This is what the popular singer shared with Rian van Heerden on this week’s episode of Laataand by Rian.
In a candid conversation, Karlien opened up about her time in Revolusie, an Afrikaans rock band, her divorce from former rugby player Derick Hougaard, her music career, and her family.
Rian didn’t hold back, addressing the elephant in the room straight away by asking about her marriage to Derick. Karlien and Derick divorced in 2015, and they share two children, Daniël and Elah.
“I think I have a need to help others change,” she explained. “My father is a beacon of hope for me. He was in a really bad place, caused a lot of damage, and then recovered. I believed there was hope, and I wanted to help Derick reach a place where he could choose himself. It cost a lot, but I decided I didn’t want my children to experience what I went through.”
Rian referred to the documentary series Hougaard: Liefling van Loftus, in which Derick claimed his children were kept from him. Karlien, however, said this isn’t true. She says he felt that way because he didn’t know how to be a father.
After her divorce, Karlien stayed with her equally famous brother, Bobby van Jaarsveld, for three months. During this time, her children started calling him ‘Dad’, as Derick didn’t make any contact.
“I never imagined it would turn out this way. I tried everything I could to encourage him to commit to being a father.”
Despite the many tears and difficult times, Karlien still holds a place for Derick. “You never know when a relationship might be mended. There will always be room for him to return.”
Karlien also spoke about her daughter, Elah’s, health. In 2018, Elah was diagnosed with a life-threatening condition – a blood clot in the portal vein, which supplies blood to the liver, spleen, stomach, and pancreas.
She held onto the Bible verse Isaiah 43:19, though she only fully understood it years later. “There were so many things that had to happen for me to understand that verse. God says you must not only love your neighbour but also love your enemy as yourself. That’s why I truly love Derick, even if he doesn’t change. I have no expectations anymore. Seven months after this realisation, we took Elah for another scan of her abdomen, and the blood clot was gone.”
What does the road ahead look like for Karlien?
While she still performs a few concerts, her main focus now is spending more time with her family. “There always comes a point when I feel like I want to stop because I want to be home more. My heart isn’t in fame – I’m not driven by applause. My home is my whole heart. That’s where I want to be, where I feel safe and happy.”
Rian’s next guest is actress and cabaret singer Elzabe Zietsman.
Laataand by Rian is on kykNET (DStv channel 144) on Tuesday nights at 21:00. The episodes are also available on DStv Stream and Catch Up.
