Publications
Partners
Thato Mathobela, known as TitoM, and Bongani Sibanyoni, famously known as Yuppe, have become household names in Pretoria and beyond, thanks to their hit amapiano track "Tshwala Bam," which has captivated audiences worldwide.
Despite what many would say was an overnight success, the duo's journey to the top has been paved with years of dedication and numerous songs. Their collaboration with S.N.E (Sinenhlanhla Sibanyoni) and EeQue on this track recently earned them the Best Viral Challenge award at the Metro FM Music Awards.
In an interview with City Press, Yuppe and TitoM shared their joy over the long-awaited recognition, highlighting their perseverance and commitment to their craft.
"I am happy, and now I believe that anything is possible. Life can change in just a second," said TitoM who started producing indicators in Grade 8.
READ: Orchestral conductor extraordinaire Ofentse Pitse talks about doing big things with Kabza De Small
What many might not know is that the pair has co-produced with other musicians on hits such as Amasango, Imnandi Lento, Thesha, Umona and Cina.
He added:
Yuppe told City Press that when Tshwala Bam took TikTok by storm following a video by @ama_quality_boys, they thought it was just one of those "TikTok trends," not expecting the dance to the song to blow the song up as it did. He added that they had big things in the pipeline, with plans to release a remix with Grammy-award winner Burna Boy.
While she expected the song to do well, S.N.E admitted that its top-charting performance abroad was a welcomed surprise.
The 30-year-old added that the success and winning an award had made them want to push even harder.
"We have seen that it's possible. We used to watch this on TV, now it's happening [for us]. We have to go harder."
READ: Hard work pays off as Aymos and Mthunzi win maiden awards at the Metros
Yuppe and TitoM have been on a world tour since last month, making appearances in a number of countries, including Ghana, Namibia and Nigeria. They mentioned that they would visit more than 20 countries, including Australia, the UK, France and Spain.
The song was officially released in February and was followed by a music video three weeks ago. It reached two million views in seven days. The song, which is still viral, has captured the attention of international celebrities like Davido, Tiwa Savage, Chris Brown, Les Twins, Jason Derulo and recently Jeniffer Hudson, who like the former took part in the dance.
The song is currently number one on TikTok’s Viral 50 and second on TikTok 50. It has moved from number one to number five on YouTube’s Trending Music. The song is currently on the top ten iTunes charts; however, before that, it had remained on the number one spot of SA’s Top 100 as well as the International Top 200 charts. Tshwala Bami has also dominated Spotify, Shazam, Audiomack and Apple Music to name a few.
According to stats posted in March, a month after its release, there were over four million videos created on TikTok with over five billion views.
