Why Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz burst into tears

Multi-award-winning Tanzanian singer Diamond Platnumz on December 26, 2015 surprised his fans when he burst into tears on stage after he was asked by the crowd to perform an a capella rendition of his new hit Utanipenda.

Ijumaa reports Diamond was performing at Uwanja wa Taifa in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in an event dubbed Funga Mwaka Concert when the charged crowd asked him to sing the song.

Utanipenda is currently the talk of town in Tanzania, and numerous revelers requested for the track. Never one to disappoint his fans, Diamond took to the stage and did what he knows best.

However, things went south when sections of the crowd began shouting at him, criticising him for predicting his own downfall through the lyrics of the hit track.

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“Oooh wale shabiki zangu
walonisifu kwa maneno matamuu
Leo maadui zangu
ni mitusi tu kwa instagramuu…”

Nevertheless, some fans of the iconic musician were brought to tears by the lyrics of the song, and an emotional Diamond could not hold back his own tears from flowing freely.

As a result, the singer couldn’t complete his performance.

Sister takes him off the stage

When Diamond’s half-sister Mwanahawa Abdul, better known Queen Darleen, saw the singer was weeping uncontrollably, she took to the stage, wiped away his tears using the Tanzanian flag.

Realising that her superstar brother had been overcome by emotion, she took him off the dais while covering him with Tanzania’s flag.

Back stage

Diamond’s manager, Hamis Taletale better known Babu Tale was on the back stage – where Darleen took the singer.

Speaking to the emotional Bongo Flava star,  Tale urged Diamond to gain composure, adding that his breakdown was causing panic among his fans.

Despite Babu’s intervention, the Kipi Sijaskia star still went ahead to weep uncontrollably. This time round, he did not want anyone to calm him.

“You have no reason to shed tears, my brother. Wealth is God-given. There’s no human who can snatch that away from you if God has not planned so,” said Diamond’s manager; but the singer heard none of it.

Diamond’s tearful exit from the dais marked the end of the show, as he did not return to the stage to further his performance.

Later, the singer  told the newspaper why he broke down.

“What happened isn’t new. Utanipenda touches me deeply – in every situation. Before crying I asked myself: will there be a day I’ll go for a Dar live event and fail to attract a gathering (like the one I saw); I realised there’s a day I’ll be a nobody before people, and won’t be shown the love!” said Diamond.