Kenyan artiste Otile Brown has responded to on-air speculations suggesting he was clout chasing by performing at the burial ceremony of TikTok sensation Brian Chira.
The event, which took place on Tuesday, March 26, saw Otile deliver an emotional and moving performance, leaving many in tears and emotions.
In an interview with Kenya Online Media, the 'Alivyonipenda' hitmaker addressed the rumours noting that he only performed at the funeral solely in response to fans' requests.
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According to Otile, the decision was influenced by the overwhelming support from fans who claimed that Chira particularly enjoyed his song 'One Call'.
Otile also said his performance at the burial ceremony was driven by his desire to honour a fan's (Chira) memory.
"What does my album have to do with the deceased? If you know me, I’m just showing nothing but love at the end of the day. I don’t even know him personally because the attention was brought to me by the fans when I was doing a live with a Tanzanian blogger when people insisted that I should sing the song. So that when he was brought to my attention because I never knew the guy,” Otile Brown declared.
Adding;
“After doing research I realized that he was a huge fan of my songs and right if you go to YouTube and check out the song, all the comments are about him. It’s not me, it's the people they are showing love and all that. Normally those who know me know I never come out for anybody, it's just who I am. So I was just showing love.”
The acclaimed singer emphasized that whether he attended the funeral performance or not, his song was already pulling numbers.
Furthermore, he challenged critics questioning if they would have preferred if he didn't attend Chira's burial.
“It’s doing like 200k views a day, so whether I had showed up or not the song is still doing well. So I think it funny that people will think that. when you are making such a statement what do you want. Do you want me not to show up totally?”
Otile performs at Chira's burial
Otile had promised to perform in honour of Chira to ensure his farewell was unforgettable.
This song, which debuted a year ago, has now amassed an impressive 4.7 million views on YouTube.
In a post on his Instagram, Otile had expressed his admiration for Chira's impact on his song.
"What Chira is doing to #OneCall is just unbelievable. His influence shines brightly, and his love is deeply felt. Sending heartfelt love and prayers... may he rest in peace. I'd be honoured to perform the song at his funeral to help make his memory everlasting."
Encouraging attendees to participate, Otile also urged them to familiarize themselves with the song's lyrics.
"If possible, I urge everyone attending to learn the lyrics so we can sing together and celebrate Chira's life," he added.
During the service, Chira's supporters and fellow TikTokers joined in a heartfelt chorus, singing the lyrics in perfect harmony as emotions overflowed.
"One call away, Reach out if you need me. Your hero. I'm always here, just one call away," mourners sang along paying tribute to Chira.
