Thami Shobede's Sama nod proves he never 'lost'

Whoever said, 'no one remembers the guy who came in second,' must have said it before Thami Shobede became a runner-up to Noma Khumalo in Idols SA because he went and flipped the tables.

Thami recently bagged his first Sama nomination and at age 30 he's flourishing despite taking second place at the singing competition.

Thami told TshisaLIVE his strides in the music industry is because he never had that "runner-up" attitude. 

"People used to say, 'oh he's that guy that lost to Noma'. He's the runner-up, the number two. But I never adopted that for myself. That is the reason I believe, I have made it to where I am right now.

Thami said that in his mind he never lost to anyone. 

"I was never the runner-up, I never lost. That's where the name of my album came from and all the love I sing about on it. I have been shown so much love from fans who first met me on Idols but decided I was worth their time so they journeyed with me."

Throughout his career, Thami's heard people whispering:

Thami said the one thing he was conscious off, was never to attach himself to the "loser" word that was thrown around him.

The musician said he was over the moon about his Sama nomination because it validated his hard work as an artist, trying to break away from tags that come with entering the industry through Idols.

"What I understood was that position that people give to you are motivated by what they see. It's not necessarily what or who you are, so I decided I am number one to me and to people that choose to see me in that light. From then, all I had to do was work hard on making great music."

Thami explained that he realised every person who had ever been in second position was made to feel like their progress meant nothing. He wasn't willing to be that person so he soldiered on like the winner he knew he was.

Thami's album, Never Lost, bagged a nod for Best R&B/Soul/Reggae Album.

"It feels great to be nominated and as an artist, it feels like it's only the beginning!"

Man never lost fam! You can't mess with great attitude!