The music’s gone silent for singer-songwriter Branton Charles Booysen, who is now rolling with the punches to stay afloat and provide for his family.
The Mitchells Plain artist, stage name B Charles, is well known in the local music biz but like so many other artists, the entertainer has taken a huge knock due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns which resulted in events being cancelled.
B Charles, 32, has not released any music in over a year.
Instead, he looked to his hobby as a source of income for his family.
“I started boxing in high school as a result of anger management. I was bullied in school because I was tiny and skinny,” he explains.
The dad of two has competed under the mentorship of Mr Eddie Marshall from the Portlands Boxing Club in Mitchells Plain.
B Charles uses his boxing and self-defence skills to create an income by going to the homes of clients to train them.
He also trains vulnerable girls and women for free.
“I could not play the blame game, I needed to do something, even if it meant putting my music on hold for a while,” he says.
“I turned pro to fight and compete, but instead I find myself now opening my very own gym in these manic times we live in.
“God is so good to me, as I am an advocate for gender-based violence against women and children.
“I have extended my service to the ladies of the Mosaic and the St George Orphanage Home for girls as an outreach project at no cost.”
The singer started at his backyard gym in Portlands but now has a proper studio in Ottery, while also doing house calls for one-on-one training sessions.
“I want to help women to defend themselves and now I have a facility to train them,” he says.
“In the mornings I would drive out to the north to train my clients and in the evenings, I would train clients in my backyard.
“If anything, Covid has taught me to go after my dreams even if the odds are against me, because tomorrow is not promised.”
To book a session with Branton, call him on 072 826 9321.