According to South African songstress Bathabise Biyela, better known as Thabsie, Covid-19 was her saving grace in that it allowed her to take a break.
“For most of 2020 South Africa was in lockdown. This meant no gigs so 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,” said Thabsie.
She revealed that she couldn’t perform as much, making music was a bit harder, festivals were closed, and so the music had to take a back seat.
The star lives by the saying “to make the world smaller, start travelling”, and having recently partnered with Dubai Tourism as an ambassador she felt inspired because of how similar Dubai and South Africa are when weighed on the same scale.
With just over a million followers on Instagram, content creation became a new creative avenue for the singer and has become a successful brand extension.
The star entered the music industry as a R&B vocalist and is known for the hit singles “African Queen” and “Ngiyaz’fela Ngawe”.
Thabsie said creating content on social media meant she was not forced to limit her creative abilities at a challenging time.
“In SA we love shiny things and feeling good; Dubai is that place. Without faulting Dubai for the stigma it has gained in SA, 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,” said Thabsie.
Read the latest issue of IOL Travel digital magazine here.