René Tshiakanyi is living his dream as a musician, performing regularly in Ballito and surrounds. But his journey has been anything but predictable. From a childhood in the DRC to busking on the streets of Durban, he’s learnt plenty about hard work, resilience and the power of music to transform a life.
Born in a mining town in the Democratic Republic of Congo as one of 12 siblings, René grew up in a household filled with the sounds of James Brown, The Beatles, Bob Marley and Edith Piaf. Music was more than just entertainment – it was a gateway to another world. “I remember when I would go to sleep, and the melody would make me feel like I was travelling,” he says.
As a child, he wasn’t considered a particularly good singer. Instead, he had a composer’s ear – hearing harmonies and melodies that weren’t in the sheet music. “The choir conductor thought I was messing around,” he says with a laugh. “Only later did I realise it was actually a composer’s gift.”
FINDING HIS VOICE
Music became his true calling at the age of 24. By then, war in his home country had left his family with nothing, and his father, once the family’s provider, was unwell. Writing poetry became a way to process the chaos. A local magazine started publishing his work, and a group of friends encouraged him to set his words to music. With the help of a neighbourhood guitarist, he wrote his first song, ‘La presse s’efface’, a tribute to all the journalists who were killed trying to do their jobs.
When René moved to Durban in 2008, he had just $50 and a guitar and barely spoke English. He had trained as a mechanical engineer, but the policies at the time wouldn’t allow him to work in his field.
So, he did the only thing he could – he took his guitar to the streets and started busking.
That decision led to a life-changing encounter with English teacher Jackie Saaiman who heard his music. She saw something in him – not just talent, but potential.
“She told me, ‘You have a bright future, but there’s a handicap standing in your way,'” René remembers. That “handicap” was the language barrier. Jacky took it upon herself to teach him English, and he ended up moving in with her family. “She became my South African mother. She built me up.”
If you had told me 10 years ago that I’d be singing in multiple languages in South Africa, I would have thought you were smoking Bob Marley,
A CAREER BUILT ON PASSION
Fifteen years later, René has carved out a successful career as a musician, performing regularly at local venues like Simbithi Country Club, and even for two South African presidents. He’s become a multi-lingual artist, singing in French, English, Portuguese, and Italian – a skill he developed through sheer necessity and a realisation that he has an aptitude for languages.
“If you had told me 10 years ago that I’d be singing in multiple languages in South Africa, I would have thought you were smoking Bob Marley,” he jokes.
But more than the music, it’s the connection with people that drives him. “Nothing feels as great as a good gig,” he says. “When someone tells me, ‘We got married to your song,’ or ‘Your music brings our family together,’ that’s the real reward.”
For René, music is a way to bring people together, to heal, and to create joy. “I never planned for this life,” he admits, “but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
This April, René will be performing every Friday evening at Simbithi Country Club with a fresh musical theme: Everything Country Music and More.His goal is to keep surprising audiences – this time blending country classics with pop legends like Billy Joel and Elton John.
Details: IG: @renetshiakanyi
