After deciding to go independent, singer Timothy de Monk hopes his latest single, No Stress Moment, will make him a household name.
Timothy, from Pinelands, first entered the music scene in 2015 after releasing his debut EP, Hazy Days. He later signed with The David Gresham Entertainment Group and went on to release four singles with the group.
His first single, Everyday, was on the 5FM Top 10 Pop Chart for 18 weeks, followed by, I Never Want To See Her, which held on to the number one position for eight weeks on the 5FM Top 10 Pop Chart.
The 20-year-old artist discovered his love for music in 2014 when he learnt how to play the guitar.
“We were at a family gathering, and my cousin was playing guitar and singing. I thought that it would be so incredible if I was able to do that too.
“He then asked me if I would like to play the guitar, and I received my first lesson on that day,” he said.
Timothy decided to ditch the label last year and, while daunting at first, he said the move had helped bring him to where he is now. “In the past few months that I have been on my own, I’ve seen more progress than with the label. The music I put out now, is my own,” he said.
He attributes this to having a great team behind him, mainly his mother/manager, Jennifer de Monk.
Timothy believes his latest single,No Stress Moment – which he released last month, is going to be his biggest hit yet. “My hopes for this year is that people will get to know the name Timothy de Monk and link it to my music when they hear it on radio. And on top of that, realise that I am actually from South Africa, doing my best to play my part in putting local music on the international map.”
Timothy said the message behind the song is about succeeding and pushing through, no matter what you are facing. The song was inspired by the stress he was feeling from a relationship at the time and not knowing whether he would succeed as an independent artist.
Timothy’s musical influences include Quin XCII, Blackbear, Ed Sheeran and Post Malone. His local influences are Matthew Mole – the reason he started learning the guitar – and Majozi. He is busy planning the music video for No Stress Moment – which he can’t wait to release.
“My ultimate dream is naturally to become a superstar, making it big both locally and internationally. It would be incredible having people around the world listening to and loving my music.”
Timothy’s music, including No Stress Moment, is now available on most digital platforms, including iTunes and Google Play.
For more information, visit www.tdmmusic.co.za
