#ThankfulTuesday: The young man who sang at the traffic lights to earn his break
His social media success has allowed him to sing at the South African Social Media Awards, corporate functions in Sun City, and with the legendary Ndlovu Youth Choir.
@kutlwanoyika Is this for real🤔, probably not a #viral #video ♬ original sound - kutlwanoyika
Many a time, we find ourselves doing things for any which reason, other than because we love it.
It's not our fault, not everyone grew up having the option to pursue their dreams. More than that, not everyone could afford to wait to realise what it is they want to do.
But there are those rare moments where you just know what you are meant to be doing. We can say this much about Kutlwano Yika.
WATCH him perform Elton John's 'Sacrifice'. Courtesy of TikTok.
@kutlwanoyika nothing keeps me going like ya'll ❤️ and support🤝🏽#tiktok #music #singer #newmusic ♬ original sound - kutlwanoyika
Yika shared that his love for music stemmed from an early age. But before returning to his first love of singing, he pursued other passions.
"After high school, he focused on academics and football and went on to study Economics at the University of Johannesburg." (MSN)
It was Irish singer Allie Sherlock who reignited his passion for singing. When he watched her, he knew he could do that too, if not better.
After offering to provide entertainment to shoppers inside several malls, he was rejected due to the pandemic.
Check out more from East Coast Radio
This led him to think about the beggars at the traffic lights. He wondered how people gave them money for doing absolutely nothing. Which sparked his idea of entertaining motorists with his singing.
"Yika set up his PA (public amplifying) system, got people in the community to take his videos, and collect money from motorists (yes, he created jobs for youngsters too)." (MSN)
His dream is to open up a giant media company, and to become as famous as the president of South Africa. His determination hasn't been in vain, as he has successfully performed at the South African Social Media Awards, corporate functions in Sun City, and with the legendary Ndlovu Youth Choir.
Here's to staying motivated and thankful throughout your hardships...
Image Courtesy of TikTok