In South Africa, Riku collaborated with superstars such as Koos Kombuis, Laurika Rauch, Frazer Barry, Churchil Naudé, David Kramer, Stef Bos, and Paul Riekert, among others.
His songs have been performed and recorded by people like Karla du Plessis, Laurika Rauch, Bobby van Jaarsveld, the all-girl punk band The Pheobes, and the jazz outfit Tsunami, and Izak Davel.
Die Wasgoedlyn (The Washing Line) is a concept centering around Afrikaans musicians telling and singing their stories in their natural habitat: at their homes, around braais, with friends.
In the same vain Die Wasgoedlyn attempts to unearth these raw performances of artists in a space (mentally and physically) that they take comfort in - in which they do not have to pretend.
The second reason is that on a washing line you'll find a large variety of items, from work-shirts to church-blouses, patched socks, vest with holes in it, underwear from Jockey, petticoats, etc.
The first season will feature approximately twenty artists including Lochner de Kock, Ryno Velvet, Willim Welsyn, Frazer Barry, Tribal Echo, Piet Botha, Jacques "Jake Gunn" Groenewald, Dana Snyman, Gert Vlok Nel, Jannie du Toit, C. Johan Bakkes, Churchill Naude, Laurinda Hofmeyr, Andre van Rensburg, Rian Malan, Dozi, Leila Groenewald, Mervin Williams, Adries Bezuidenhout, Fran Veda (Bonsai), Charles J. Fourie, Andra, Gerald Clark, Mauritz Lotz, Les Javan, Riku Lätti, Bacchus Nel, Loit Sôls, Francois van Coke (Van Coke Kartel), etc.
The Voice Behind The Wall is a conscientious examination of the Afrikaans music industry and the racial imbalances that still persist almost 30 years since the abolishment of Apartheid.
Despite the fact that the Afrikaans language was used to champion white supremacy in a system of institutionalized racial segregation known as Apartheid, its origins lay within the brown communities of Southern Africa.
In this film Churchil Naudé, exceptional poet and rapper, stands as a surrogate for a whole community of ignored artists, whose voices are now oppressed by the very same media industry that was guilty of using its powerful platform to further the white cause during one of the world's worst crimes against humanity.
Featuring musicians Peter Auret, Jonathan Crossley, Cesare Cassarino, Rory Gaddin The album won Riku the GMT Award for best male vocalist.