The world is covered in talent, with more and more incredibly skilled people being discovered every day thanks to the immeasurable power of social media. While it helps create new stars, it also helps us highlight issues that the human race has struggled with for years, with the issue of this article’s story being homelessness.
One homeless couple quickly became a worldwide social media sensation when they were discovered performing outside of Desmond Tutu’s Church in Cape Town, South Africa. Initially shrouded in mystery, the couple shocked locals and online viewers alike with their soulful melodies and incredibly skilled guitar work. You can watch the video from Millicent Nhlanhla and her partner Thabani below:
Despite quickly becoming a pair of social media stars, the public, and the digital world were astounded that this couple, with all their talent, were going through hard times and living on the street. The people needed to know more about this intriguing couple, who were initially unidentified to the world. Since the release of the video, social media buffs were dedicated to finding out who these people were, and how they ended up in such a difficult situation.
The person who initially filmed and shared the viral video of these two musical virtuosos was Yvette London, who was taking a tour around Desmond Tutu’s church when she heard them performing in the background. Since then, the couple have amassed over 3 million views and countless shares around the world. Yvette urged the tour guide to ask locals for more information about the performers until they eventually learned their names.
@yvettelondon0 An update on the Homeless South African singers. @Street Wise Band #southafrica #soutgafricantiktok #capetownsouthafrica #capetown#streetwiseband
Not only were the couple identified, but Yvette London had further updates about their situation. Millicent and Thabani were so astounded by the online praise and messages of support that they decided to create their musical group: Street Wise Band. London also mentions that the duo set up a TikTok to share their music, and a Venmo account in case anybody would like to donate. It’s uncertain how many people donated, but we hope they received some support from the masses.
On top of their viral success, the now-named Street Wise Band began to get more attention, and their performance videos reached impressive heights on social media. So much so, that the couple posted videos of what seemed to be new performances in venues, suggesting that the work of Yvette London helped them pursue their dream of becoming paid musicians. Worldwide media attention also helped, with the UK’s The Chalk Show offering an interview with the couple on their recent success.
Months after their initial social media boost and discovery, the couple are still uploading videos of their performances and their history on their YouTube and TikTok channels. Their subscriber count is growing steadily, and while they are still busking, they seem happy to be doing what they are born to do. We only hope that their situation continues to improve and that they catch more breaks along their journey.
If you would like to see more from Street Wise Band, you can subscribe to their YouTube channel. You can also visit their official website for more information.