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Cape Town - Fatiema Petersen, daughter of late music legend Taliep Petersen, recently recorded a video for fun with her brother.
The video is doing the rounds on social media – and has gone viral with more than 600 views a day.
Fatiema (24), Taliep’s second-youngest child, adores the American musical movie The Greatest Showman and says she constantly listens to the soundtrack in her car.
So just more than a week ago she told her brother Ashur (26) – a music producer, songwriter and singer – she’d like to record the song Never Enough from the musical.
“At first he was unsure if it’s the right song for my voice but when I sang it to him he said, ‘Let’s do it!’ ” Fatiema recalls.
They recorded the video and loaded it on YouTube on Saturday 18 August. By Tuesday 21 August it had had more than 600 views a day.
“The reaction’s been amazing. I didn’t think it would go big so quickly.”
Fatiema, who has an honours degree in clinical social work and works as an academic coordinator at a private tertiary education centre in Rondebosch, Cape Town, has always dreamt of working in the arts and developing her talent.
“I’m passionate about helping people and sometimes it’s to my own detriment,” she tells us. That’s why she’s considering a career change.
“My dad always wanted all his kids to have a solid academic background first. Now that I have it, it’s about what I want,” she explains.
She says she didn’t inherit her singing talent just from her dad but also from her mother, Madeegha.
“My mom can sing. I was blessed with two talented parents and I’ve learned to cherish it. I was always afraid of going out into the world and being in my dad’s shadow but now that I know who I am, I can do it.”
Fatiema was just 13 when her dad (then 56) was murdered in December 2006. Najwa Petersen, her dad’s second wife, was sentenced to 28 years in prison in February 2009 for her hand in the murder.
Fatiema and Ashur have four more siblings. The eldest, Natasha Githiri (39), is an attorney with her own practice in Johannesburg. Sister Jawaahier Petersen (31) is a clinical social worker with a master’s degree while Aeesha Petersen (29) is an area manager for a medical recruitment agency and also markets her own clothing label for kids.
The youngest, Zaynab (19), matriculated last year and is “living her best life” – she took a gap year this year.
“I still miss my dad a lot,” Fatiema says. “I wish my dad could see his grandchildren and his kids’ accomplishments – that we’ve risen above all the darkness, trauma and sadness and each of us is making a success of our life. I hope he’s proud.”
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
