Man Crush Monday: Tellaman
LINDEN – He is young and has a voice to die for. Ancillar Mangena met up with him on the set of Club 808 in Linden and spoke to him about his up-and-coming career in the music industry.
He may not be too much of a well-known figure but he is definitely an artist to watch out for.
Tellaman, real name Thelumusa Owen (23), has been making waves on the music scene especially with his song, Drinks and Music, which numerous people young and old are bound to be dancing to this summer.
“I wrote this song because I wanted to write something simple and straightforward. Music and drinks are always a combination and I didn’t want people to think too much about the concept,” said the Durbanite.
The development of his unique style is the result of a lifetime of musical influence. Beat making was his starting point after his mother had made him sing at church and home.
“Back at home, my friends and family were all into singing and some into making beats so somehow I got involved in that and I found out that this is something I am pretty good at.”
In 2008 he decided to pursue music as a career, and began writing and recording his own music in his bedroom.
As his confidence grew and his style developed, he soon began to showcase his talent to various venues across Durban, playing at numerous gigs.
Tellaman has worked with many artists and producers locally and internationally such as Pascal Morais, Rancido, Sotho Mafia, Beast, Aby Fab, Dj Kanunu, Weird, Scelo Gowana, Cuebur, Mustafa and Okmalumkoolkat.
This success of breaking into a concentrated and daunting industry was not an easy journey for him.
“The main challenge is to find people you can work with and those you can trust when you are starting off.”
His parents were not the happiest about his career path.
“When growing up in the ghetto, parents want you to go to school and be a teacher or lawyer and when you try to tell them about the idea of making music they are not so comfortable.
When they see results, they begin to be supportive. Now my parents are happy and I always say to my mum ‘I told you so, I told you I can do it’ and she laughs.”
He would like to make music with Micasa’s J Something and intends to feature in hip-hop songs.
