Margot Rothman: A world where music, fashion and stories coexist

For Margot Rothman, creativity does not exist in just one form. She is a musician, songwriter, fashion designer and content creator – a self-described “passionate, curly-haired dreamer with big ambitions” who believes her different creative passions can work together rather than compete.

“For a long time, I struggled with the idea that I had to pursue one career seriously,” she says. She has since realised that music and fashion naturally flow into one another. Her best work comes when she can combine her creative worlds, whether through designing an outfit, performing a song or creating visual stories around her music.

Music has been part of Rothman’s life since childhood. She grew up in a musical family, with a father who plays piano, a musically gifted sister and her brother, Loki Rothman, an established musician. While music was always present, she eventually found her own voice within it.

Her relationship with Loki has become an important part of her musical journey. Despite their nine-year age gap, she describes the connection they share when making music as difficult to explain. He is also her producer, but Rothman is clear that the words, emotions and melodies are her own. Their collaboration allows her to grow while establishing her identity as an artist.

Her first major step came with her rendition of Toe Vind Ek Jou for Fiela se Kind. The experience introduced her voice to a wider audience and showed her how powerfully music and film can work together to create emotion.

Today, Rothman describes her sound as emotional, cinematic alternative pop with a strong Afrikaans identity. She is drawn to Afrikaans because of its rawness and intimacy, while also seeing opportunities to introduce fresh sounds to the language.

Inspirations

Fashion is another important part of her artistic identity. Rothman uses clothing to express the atmosphere of her music, drawing inspiration from Schiaparelli couture and artists such as Raye and Olivia Dean. If she had no limitations, she would create a new outfit for every performance and bring a Broadway-like theatricality to her live shows.

Cape Town also plays a significant role in her creativity. Its beaches, mountains, vineyards and diverse people provide endless inspiration for a self-described “people watcher”.

Looking ahead, Rothman dreams of creating a short film told through music videos, releasing her first full-length album and performing on bigger stages. For the rest of 2026, she hopes to release new music while bringing fashion, music and storytelling together more intentionally.

Her advice to her younger self is simple: stop waiting until you feel as though you have permission. You do not need to feel completely ready before you begin.