LISTEN | Tik Tok star Khanyisa on almost giving up 'halfway' in her career, to releasing music

Khanyisa Jaceni has 2.4 million TikTok followers, over 55.2 million likes on her page, and many other followers on other social platforms and she admits that while she has immensely benefited from it, it has come at a price.

Fame has not all been rosy, as the barrage of social media scrutiny is one things that she wasn't prepared for, she admits speaking to TshisaLIVE. 

In her latest EP Halfway, Khanyisa recalls the ups and downs she's encountered on her journey and speaks on how she came out a conqueror. 

“I let people's opinions get the best of me, because they were very opinionated about everything in me ... Social media got the best of me, but now we're not stopping . I picked myself up in the midst of making this EP and ensured that I keep going. I was on the edge of giving up, thinking I'm not cut out for this but then I looked back.

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After losing her job as a computer-aided draughting operator amid the retrenchments due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Khanyisa rose to stardom as a Tik Tok star and showcased her talent as a singer.

She describes stardom as any other job that comes with many pressures that demand you take care of your mental health.

“Fame comes with it's pressures, it's just like any other job. no money comes from free, there are those days where you are really demotivated and you have to push yourself to work ... it looks all fun — but it's very costly on my mental health and that's why I prioritise my mental health before anything else 

“I get bullied almost every other day and discover someone that doesn't like me, so you need to constantly reassure yourself.” 

Despite the bulling that she faces, she now knows to take time off to drown out the noise. 

“I stay away from negative things that could be said about me, I scroll fast so quickly and avoid things that I think could trigger or affect me somehow and keep my head up high.”