JOHANNESBURG — The local entertainment world is reeling after the sudden passing of Matt Stern, the singer-actor whose smile could light up Hillside and whose voice could break your heart in four-part harmony.
From the moment he swaggered onto our screens in 2002 as the deliciously devious Kurt Conradie on 7de Laan, Matt Stern became a household name, and somehow, even while playing the villain, he made the entire country fall a little bit in love with him. Off-screen, though, he was the opposite of Kurt: endlessly kind, self-deprecating, the first to help a nervous newcomer find their mark and the last to leave any braai without making sure every single person had been hugged, teased, or sung to.
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Born and raised in Centurion, Matt grew up in the pews and stages of Gauteng. At Hoërskool Zwartkop he was already the kid who could silence the entire assembly with an unaccompanied Afrikaans hymn, then have the same crowd howling with laughter minutes later. After honing his craft at Benoni Technical College, he threw himself into every corner of the industry: soapies, theatre, corporate gigs, wedding stages, and smoky jazz clubs where he’d sit in for a set and suddenly the room felt like church.
But it was his voice, rich, warm, and instantly recognisable, that made strangers feel like friends. Whether he was belting out a Springbok Hits medley as the country’s most in-demand MC or quietly crooning an original ballad he’d written at 3 a.m., Matt had the rare gift of making every song feel like it was written for the person sitting right in front of him.
Since the news broke late Wednesday, South African timelines have been flooded with heartbreak and gratitude. Co-stars from 7de Laan shared tear-streaked selfies from the old set. Musicians posted voice notes of the last song they ever recorded with him. One fan simply wrote: “Matt Stern once told me after a gig that my dress looked like a sunrise. I’ve never forgotten that. I’m wearing it today.”
Vinette Ebrahim, who played Charmaine on 7de Laan, wrote:
“He taught half of Hillside how to fake-cry convincingly… and then taught us how to really cry when we had to say goodbye to him for real.”
No official cause of death has been released, and the family has asked for privacy as they grieve. A memorial celebration, fittingly filled with music, laughter, and way too many harmonies, is being planned for early next year.
South Africa has lost one of its brightest lights. But every time a local artist hits a perfect note, every time an MC makes a crowd feel at home, every time someone chooses kindness over ego, Matt Stern will be right there, smiling in the wings.
Rus in vrede, our gentle troublemaker. The choir up there just got its new lead vocalist. 🎤❤️