WATCH | Tellaman thought being 'poor' would make people buy his music

27 February 2020 - 07:00 By Chrizelda Kekana
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Musician Tellaman spoke candidly about his poverty-stricken upbringing.
Musician Tellaman spoke candidly about his poverty-stricken upbringing.
Image: Instagram/Tellaman

Musician Tellaman has revealed why he's decided to let fans into his innermost thoughts through a YouTube channel about his life and upbringing.  

The musician revealed on Instagram that before he built his confidence, he thought his hard upbringing would get him sympathy support from fans.

“When I started making music, I used to think that if people knew where I grew up - you know, like being poor - was going to lead to them buying my music because they felt sorry for me. But then I realised that I was actually good at what I do.”

It was a fan from Namibia, Tellaman shared, who got him to change his perspective about himself and his music. He explained that the fan related heavily to his music and told him she was suffering from depression, and that his music led her to reach out and talk to him about it when she couldn't even tell her mom and sister.

“I understand that all of us go through something like that at some point in our lives and I know that where I come from there's a lot of kids that are going through the same thing I went through when I was little. And they truly believe that it's impossible for them to change their situation because of the situation they are in now.”

The Whipped hitmaker explained that previously he had chosen to keep his upbringing story to himself. But since that interaction, he had decided to share it and let it help those it can help.

“So I felt that if somebody knows that Tella didn't just become a musician - his situation didn't determine how he turned out. He took it upon himself to just try to be what he wants to be and now he's here.”

Watch the video below.


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