Timothy De Monk may be relatively new to the South African music scene but if his multiple chart-topping singles and his passion are anything to go by, he is here to stay.
The 20-year-old pop singer and songwriter discovered his passion in 2014 when he learnt to play the guitar and simply couldn’t put down the instrument.
In April last year, De Monk wowed many with the release of his debut single, 'Everyday', which stayed on the 5FM Top 10 pop chart for an impressive 18 weeks.
He then released consecutive hits 'Start A Fire', 'On Our Own' and 'I Never Want to See Her', which remained on the Jacaranda FM SA Top 20 chart for 14 weeks, and once again on the 5FM Top 10 pop chart for another 18 weeks.
Now he has just released his latest single, 'No Stress Moment', which is also his first as an independent artist.
Born and raised in Stellenbosch, De Monk described his childhood as “amazing and rather authentic”.
“I grew up on a wine farm and had many great experiences. My parents did everything in their power to give me a blessed childhood. I was never a shy kid. I was energetic and sometimes a bit naughty. I was very fun loving and extremely talkative,” he said.
He discovered his love for music at a family braai when he was asked by his cousin if he wanted to learn how to play the guitar. It was then that he realised his talent and before he knew it he was signed to a record label.
Speaking on 'No Stress Moment', De Monk said: “It came about during a very demanding time in my life. I was under a lot of pressure to write music and was going through a difficult time romantically. I wrote the song as a way of coping and as a reminder to just breathe.”
The rising star said that releasing this single as an independent artist meant he was able to have free rein. “It has more of a “me” sound to it when compared to my other singles and I liked that,” he said.
Describing the sound of the song, he said, “It has a pop feeling to it but I wouldn’t categorise it just as pop, so no, it’s not genre specific. The song itself delivers a clear message that I’ve been living for the moment and nobody can kill that vibe.”
No Stress Moment is available on all music platforms.