Million TikTok views for woman with 'angelic' voice reclaiming her life after being addicted to drugs for 19 years

Social media has become a powerful tool for discovering talented artists from all walks of life. With millions of creators producing content every day, only a few videos are hard to swipe past, like that of Angelique Jaftha, a recovering drug addict who has stolen the hearts of thousands of viewers on TikTok with her raw “angelic” voice, leaving them in awe and drawing calls for a recording deal.

Jaftha is a 34-year-old aspiring musician from Mitchells Plain in Cape Town. Her life was once consumed by the darkness of drug addiction but now she's reclaiming her power.

Videos of her singing, posted by @keagensv on TikTok, have more than 1-million views. They show Jaftha in the active stage of her drug addiction performing heartfelt renditions of popular songs. These videos have left many in disbelief, as they cannot believe the powerful voice that comes out of Jaftha's body.

Jaftha finds comfort in singing.

“When I sing, I feel like everything is OK. I can sing all day. It feels like my whole world is all right. I've got a passion and an inferno burning inside me to share my talent with people,” she told TimesLIVE.

She recognised her singing talent when she was 12 years old, singing randomly in a bathroom. Since then, Jaftha has never looked back. She has participated in karaoke competitions in high school as well as singing at clubs recently.

“I have always loved singing. I'm able to tell stories through music. I can take you on any mood, from singing sad songs to happy songs; music can accommodate any mood. There's a song for every mood. I think I should start writing now,” she said.

At the age of 10, her life took a tragic turn.

“My brother passed away when I was 10. A concrete slab fell on his chest.”

This happened one afternoon when they came home from school. They usually spent the afternoon together, however on that day, they were not together. Jaftha has been blaming herself for her brother's death.

“I have been carrying that pain with me because I wish I could have done something to prevent his death. I'm still battling with that; I'm not going to lie.”

The traumatic loss of her brother eventually led Jaftha to turn to drugs. 

“I was 15 when I started taking drugs. I started out with tik (crystal meth), but it didn't work for me as it kept me awake. I was constantly thinking about what happened to me.

“Then I got raped at the age of 19, and that just added to it. I felt less feminine and didn't want anything to do with men. Then I moved to heroin and Mandrax to numb my emotions and the hurt.”

Her recovery journey has not been the easiest. She has had two failed attempts at rehabilitation processes in 2011 and 2017. Now on her third try, she believes this is the last rehabilitation centre she'll visit in her lifetime.

“Third time's a charm,” she said. “The first two failed because both times I was not doing it for myself; I did it for my parents. This time, it's all about me, myself and I. It may come across as selfish, but I had to do this for myself. I'm working on me. This time, it will be different, and I want to be successful in whatever I take on.”

On June 16, Jaftha was admitted to the Wellness Sanctuary, a rehabilitation centre for drug and alcohol abuse in Cape Town. Spending more than a month at the facility, she described her stay as being a “home away from home” and intends to stay there for a long time.

“It's been an awesome experience. I've never seen anything like this before; it feels like I have a family. To be honest, I don't see myself leaving this place; I'll do whatever I have to do from here and come back. I feel much safer here. They are very supportive. I love the fact that I'm comfortable here.”

She is hopeful for a brighter future.

“I'm looking for stability and success. I want to live a normal life and be successful in whatever I take on. I'm still going to sing because I was born for this. I would love to try jazz, but I'm comfortable with any genre thrown at me.

“In my active days, I've lost a lot of things, but I never lost my vocal ability. Like my name, I have the voice of an angel.”

She encouraged people going through the same struggle as her to reach out for help.

“It's all about making that choice, just to make that decision. There's hope; there's always help out there. It's all about yourself; put yourself first.”