AMAPIANO star Afriikan Papi said fame attracts a lot of public scrutiny.
The all-round musician, whose real name is Sipho Eugene Lekganyane, said he's learned to live with this after his breakthrough with his 2021 hit Paris, featuring Q-Mark and TpZee.
He said being a producer, singer and songwriter isn't easy. He said people always expect the best from him, and this sometimes leads to anxiety.
The 30-year-old told Daily Sun pressure that comes with making ends meet can be stressful.
The musician, who was born in Joburg but grew up in Kwa-Mashu, KZN, said in the beginning life was tough as people take musicians seriously only when they release songs.
"It took a lot of work and dedication to get here. What I've learned is that nothing comes easily.
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"You need to put in the work to be recognised and respected. Being an artist unfortunately comes with a lot of public scrutiny," Afriikan Papi said.
"You have to live up to people's expectations of you even if it's not your reality. I think it's even worse for those trying to find their footing in the industry.
"During Covid-19, I wanted to give up. With no income and nothing exciting happening I ended up feeling like I was stuck in one place."
The musician encourages young people not to lose hope.
"There's a lot on my plate, I'll be dropping my debut EP this year hoping to collaborate with one of my favourite artists and a project with my brother Just Bheki is in the pipelines. People have been waiting too long for that to happen.
"Collaborations with artists in and outside Africa are also on the cards. I'm also working on discovering new, raw talent alongside Cloud9ne Entertainment," he said.
Afriikan Papi has worked with the likes of Q-Mark, TpZee, Heavy K and Sun El Musician, among others.
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