Ziggy Krassenberg shares a piece of his past in Realitea. In addition to his search for his identity, his home situation also caused the necessary stress, challenges and worries.
American Idol
Ziggy has been trying to break through in the Netherlands for a while by participating in various talent shows, but so far he has not achieved the success he hoped for. But don’t let that break his spirit! He continues to believe in himself and takes a bold step by auditioning for American Idol, all the way on the other side of the ocean. Guess what? He manages to completely enchant the judges during his audition.
Heroin
“The American dream has always been a great wish of mine,” Ziggy says in Realitea. He loves the whole atmosphere of the program, but also realizes that Americans often show an interest in ‘the tragic story’ behind people. That’s why he shared his difficult home situation and the bullying because of his sexual orientation during his audition. “I also talked about my mother, who was addicted to heroin.”
‘Lost several people’
“I had a pretty tough childhood,” he shares. “I’ve never really known happiness. My mother was an addict, my father was an addict.” And if that wasn’t enough, several uncles also became addicted to drugs or alcohol. “I’ve lost several people to drugs or alcohol.”
Out of the closet
Ziggy has always felt different from others. “At school I was always crazy, creative and I always sang.” In high school, Ziggy discovered that he was attracted to men. At first he kept it a secret, but later he came out of the closet. “Then I was extremely bullied, humiliated and harassed,” he says with tears in his eyes.
Domestic violence
When Ziggy’s father got a new girlfriend, his home situation became even worse. “She didn’t like me, so I was pushed away. Eventually I was even removed from the home. I experienced domestic violence and inappropriate touching.” Both physically and sexually, he admits. “I’ve experienced absolutely everything you can imagine.”
Motivation
The one big dream Ziggy has always had was to achieve something big with his singing talent. “I don’t want to end up like my family,” he insists. This midset gives him the strength to persevere. Ziggy is determined to break through, whether that happens in America or the Netherlands, he doesn’t care. You can watch Ziggy’s spectacular audition below.
