Romanian pop singer from Lambeth trolled by net bullies following release of his debut single
BY NEWS REPORTER
toby@slpmedia.co.uk
A Romanian pop singer has called for more action to be taken against internet trolls after being subjected to sickening racial and homophobic slurs across social media.
YouTube star Constantin 4U, 31, who has more than one million views with his song One Boy From a Little Town, feels alienated in the country he lives in after receiving a surge of abuse following the release of his debut single.
He wrote the song with Brexit in mind, which has resulted in a series of vile attacks, including: “This is just what we don’t need any more of, you f*** wit”, “Why the f*** is this glitter puff on my page”, “When we pass the Brexit bill can we send this plum to Brussels with a one way ticket?” and “Brexit going to force you out here”.
The onslaught has left Constantin, who lives in Lambeth, South London, in a dark place.
He said: “I’ve been so upset, I feel too intimidated to go out on the streets and have thought about contacting the police.
“I was forced to leave Romania because I was gay and now I’m feeling forced out again.
These trolls shouldn’t be able to get away with their comments.
“One Boy from a Little Town is a tribute to immigrants and a reminder to the British people of the tremendous contributions immigrants have made, so it’s heart-breaking to receive such horrifying threats and malicious comments.”
When Constantin first arrived in the UK he felt accepted and respected in comparison to the torment he suffered in Romania, where he fled in 2010 because the homophobic abuse and bullying became too much to handle.
He said: “My life in London was very difficult to start because I didn’t know anyone and I couldn’t speak a word of English.
However I felt both respected and accepted, a far cry from the suffering experienced throughout my childhood and teen years.
“Britain helped me discover myself as an artist and I’ve been working with some amazing writers who have helped me through my journey.
“Moving to London was the best thing that ever happened to me and it’s become my home. “However, since releasing my music video I have seen a different side to the British public and my social media accounts have been bombarded with ignorant comments about Brexit and disgusting, hateful remarks about me and my sexuality.
“The Brexit debate raging in the UK weighed heavily on my mind when I produced One Boy from a Little Town.
While the video is about my life, when I produced it, I was thinking of the many people from Europe who left their homes, families and old lives behind – like me – hoping for a new life and opportunity in the UK.
The opportunities now, however are very worrying.”