Who is Thomas Muchimba Buttenschøn? Here's all about the musician's incredible 30-year fight against HIV
With the world distracted by the coronavirus, some diseases and epidemics still remain untackled. There are those still struggling with other life-threatening diseases but, thankfully, some celebrities haven't forgotten. Danish musician Thomas Muchimba Buttenschøn has made it his mission to fight against HIV/AIDS and raise awareness. An artiste who has lived with HIV himself for over 30 years, Buttenschøn has taken to his platform and a new documentary 'Doin' My Drugs' to break the stigma about living with HIV/AIDS.
In the upcoming documentary, releasing on December 1 in the US, Buttenschøn's life will be chronicled and will see him heading to his homeland in Zambia to bring a revolutionary change over the epidemic affecting the locals, as well as other parts of Africa. Watch the official trailer below.
But who is Thomas Muchimba Buttenschøn? Before we witness his crusade on 'Doin' My Drugs', let's take a look at the musician and inspirational change agent. Apart from being a talented and infectious songwriter, Buttenschøn is also a long-term HIV survivor. His incredible story of overcoming the disease dates as far back as his infancy. Thomas was born HIV-positive in 1985 to a Zambian mother and Danish father. His father died from AIDS when he was just eight years old and his mother, a year later. "My family's story is not unique to Zambian culture," he notes in the documentary.
One of Buttenschøn's most touching songs, 'Funeral', pays tribute to his parents and mourns their passing. In the documentary, Buttenschøn says, "there isn’t a single day I don’t think about death," while the song's lyrics reflect an intimate connection with life’s loss.
Orphaned in Denmark, Buttenschøn was not expected to live beyond 12 years of age. When he was 13, Buttenschøn became critically ill, and against all odds, he began antiretroviral (ARV) treatment which would see him on the road to better health. Dealing with the challenges of HIV placed upon his life, Buttenschøn turned to music for comfort and strength. With a collection of thought-provoking songs and a bluesy charisma to his music, Buttenschøn became a Danish rockstar at the age of 20. Listen to tracks like 'Winter' or 'Oreo' shared below.
One of the remarkable aspects of Buttenschøn's life is his marriage and parenthood, as shared in the documentary. Thomas lives a full and happy life as a husband and father of two sons which he says he owes to medication, hence the title of the 'Doin' My Drugs'. Buttenschøn's wife says, "I don't think about Thomas being HIV-positive. To me, he's Thomas, taking pills every morning. A lot of people take pills. When you just take your medications, you can live completely normal. We've got two children, and I'm not infected, our children are not infected. We don't have to be worried."
As an advocate for medication and healthy living with HIV/AIDS, Buttenschøn returned to Zambia (his parents moved to Denmark for treatment when he was one) to share ways to fight the country's epidemic and the stigma of what it's like living with HIV/AIDS. Teaming up with an extraordinary group of Zambian musicians, as seen in the feature's exclusive interviews, Buttenschøn has set out to use his music to raise awareness as well as providing a testing campaign for those needing care.
Buttenschøn's music is featured on the 'Doin' My Drugs' soundtrack. The 11-track album is produced by 16-time Grammy Award-winning producer, Thom Russo Jr, and recorded on 3 continents: Europe, Africa and the United States. Joined by seven featured artists, the album speaks truth with a power that resonates with listeners around the world.