Rasaad Adams|Published
A 26-year-old entertainer from Matroosfontein who started livestreaming to an empty audience is now drawing thousands of viewers to his Never Panic Studios platform.
Tyron Hess, who grew up performing at local gigs and working as a club hype man, has turned to online entertainment and is looking to grow his audience beyond South Africa.
“I always say a lot of people go through tough times in life. It’s anything from debt to stress, mental health and depression. What I am trying to push is, whatever life throws at you: never panic,” Hess said.
From music and gigs to live streaming
But Hess’s entertainment journey started long before he switched on his camera.
“I actually started with music. I have three mixtapes out already. I did a couple of local gigs in the area. I was a club hype man for a while,” he said.
His music took him to Johannesburg for about a year before he returned to Cape Town following his mother’s stroke.
Building confidence through streaming
Inspired by international streaming stars Kai Cenat and iShowSpeed, Hess decided to try streaming after a friend encouraged him to use his energy and personality to entertain audiences.
The beginning was far from easy.
“It started very slowly; with zero viewers. I would speak to myself,” he recalled.
However, he remained consistent, going live every day or every second day.
“Over the past year and a half, I have just seen it grow to what it is now. Yesterday we did an 11-hour sleepover stream. We reached a milestone of 12 700 viewers. That is just consistency and discipline.”
Hess now streams on TikTok, Kick and Twitch, with his bedroom doubling as the Never Panic Studios set.
His guests have included two-time SAMA winner Lordkez, SAMA nominee Gemma Fassie, Suidooster actor Dean Smith and Kelders van Geheime actor Tashreeq de Villiers, as well as several local influencers.
He also hosted American streamer RaKai and Sydney, sister of music star Tyla, during their South African tour.
“He came to see my setup. I made him a peanut butter dite. We took him to a tuck shop and bought bompies,” Hess said.
For Hess, the appeal lies in allowing viewers to see another side of well-known personalities.
“I always want my viewers to get to know the person behind the fame and acting,” he explained.
“The whole stream takes place in my bedroom. So now you’re actually seeing this prominent person come sit in another person’s room and have a casual chat.”
Growing up, Hess loved playing soccer in the streets with his friends, while his late father, who was a jazz DJ for years, helped nurture his love for entertainment.
The journey has also boosted his confidence.
“During my school days, I was never one to speak in front of the class. I was very nervous to do my oral exams. This streaming journey has made me so much more confident.”
Through Never Panic Studios, Hess hopes to keep spreading positivity, reminding viewers that whatever life throws their way, they should never panic.