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When the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, there were only two ways an artist could swim above water.
On one end, many artists used the time to boost their listenership and brand in the South African market, while other, more established artists took the time to take a well-deserved break while they plotted their next move.
Such is the case for R&B musician Bathabise “Thabsie” Biyela, who is finally ready to take the next step in her musical career after a three-year hiatus.
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Thabsie's Biyela’s rise in the music industry came as a result of her doing backing vocals for popular acts in the industry, such as Cassper Nyovest and Black Motion. This came after she completed her BCom in economics at the University of Johannesburg, but decided it would not be the right path for her.
She then blew up with a breakthrough hit in 2017 with fellow muso Kwesta on the song Ngiyaz’fela Ngawe. She then dropped solo hits, such as African Queen, Ubuyanini and Finally, before taking a break from making and releasing music for three years.
Now, Thabsie is taking her chances in Dubai, with a tourism partnership deal that will see her performing at the country’s most prestigious venues and events.
"Covid-19 was my saving grace to take a break, since we went into a national lockdown in 2020. There were no gigs and I thought to myself how else can I still be creative while being in my home? Content creation was a very nice departure for me and also it worked for the times. It was lockdown. I couldn't perform as much, making music was a bit harder, festivals were closed so the music kind of had to take a back seat," said Thabsie.
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Her ventures into the world of influencing and content creation proved to be the perfect thing to consume her time with, as she has since amassed 1.4 million followers on Instagram, 38 000 followers on Twitter and more than 300 000 followers on TikTok, making her one of our country’s most well-known singer/influencer hybrids.
"I am a multifaceted creative, so having time on social media allowed me not to limit all the creative abilities I have. It came at the perfect time as well, because when the pandemic began, it was challenging for creatives to find an outlet," she added.
Now, piggybacking on the success of both her musical and social media careers, Thabsie shares her excitement on the new adventure she has embarked on in Dubai.
The singer lives by the saying: "To make the world smaller, start travelling", and her partnership with Dubai tourism will see her taking on the role of an ambassador in the country. She also spoke on how she feels the transition will go and felt hopeful because Dubai and South Africa shared some similarities.
"Without faulting Dubai for the stigma it has gained in South Africa, this place is inspirational, aspirational and gives many opportunities. South Africans love to laugh and share our vibrant energy. Our music brings so much joy and it has become far reaching across the world, especially in Dubai. To me, this country has opened my eyes to how big and amazing the world can be."
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As Thabsie embarks on this journey, we wish her nothing but the best as she makes South Africa proud by sharing the beauty of our music with the melting pot that is Dubai.
