"The social media lifestyle sometimes can seem very far away from reality," Chan confessed. But after rising to YouTube stardom, life in the spotlight might have revealed a little more than the Kabs family had intended.
The Kabs Family
To the naked eye, Tay and Chan Kabs have just about done it all. After welcoming 3 children, the North London couple has gone on to build their very own empire. But that doesn't mean it's been easy.
In fact, it hasn't. From struggling with the fame to skeptics hijacking their feeds, perhaps there's more than meets the eye to one of YouTube's favorite families. Hang on while we walk you through the Kabs' journey to online stardom - and all of the road bumps in between.
Before Fame
Long before Tay and Chan Kabs took the online world by storm, their reality actually looked very different. They were childhood sweethearts, whom fate had brought together one unexpected day in 2003. "I was waiting for the bus," a then-12-year-old Tay recalled of the moment his life changed forever.
Sure enough, as he hopped on board, he soon locked eyes with a mysterious passenger. Little did he know he was looking right at his future soulmate. Any guess who we're talking about? Of course, 12-year-old Chan. Despite "all her friends [who] were sitting down [around her]," all he saw was her.
16 & Pregnant
Nothing about Tay and Chan's journey was what they'd planned. In fact, it all happened... so fast. What started with an exchanging of numbers soon turned the two into "boyfriend and girlfriend." But by 2008? Their relationship was met with the ultimate surprise after Prom night led to a startling discovery.
"I felt really dizzy… I kinda blacked out," Chan revealed of that fateful summer night. She felt abnormally weak and tired. "But it still didn't register that I could be pregnant," Kabs explained. Only after taking two different pregnancy tests, she couldn't deny the signs now telling her otherwise.
Planning for 3
What now? While their love for one another was clear, Chan and Tay had never been more uncertain. What would the future hold for them? The truth was that they had to face the facts: They were 17-years-old, pregnant with their very own child, and they had no idea what to do.
"We were just so confused," Chan recalled. Everything they thought they knew was suddenly called into question. College? Marriage? A career? The expecting teens were at a standstill. And they needed answers, fast. But in only a matter of a time, suddenly everything would make sense.
She Struggled as a Teen Mom
9 Seemingly endless months later, Tay and Chan went from confused teens to proud parents. After welcoming their very own daughter, Teija, they were finally hopeful about the future. So long as they stuck by each other's side, everything would be alright. Or so they thought.
"We took her home, and it was… surreal," Chan reflected. Only her and Tay's taste of teen parenthood was about to be met with an all-too-real reality check. "I was in tears, I cried," the new mother revealed. The truth was that no matter where she went, she couldn't fend off the judging eyes or hateful comments hurled her way.
Their Growing Family
But fast forward to 2017, and none of that mattered anymore: They were officially a family of four now. And after welcoming baby daughter, Maliya, the Kabs household called for nothing but pure bliss. Unfortunately, though, with a growing family also came a growing list of concerns.
How would they support two children? No, not just financially - Tay was a Sky engineer, Chan, a cardiac technician. We're talking about the support and attention their little ones seemingly craved. "When you're working, nine to five, you can miss so much," a regretful Chan confessed.
Tay Documented Their Day-To-Day Life
As for what exactly Mrs. Kabs was missing out on at home? Her husband had no problem filling in the missing pieces. But as he reached for the camera to document his family's everyday life, he had no idea the madness it'd soon call for. But we're not there just yet.
And in the months that followed, Mr. Kabs carried on sharing his adventures with the world of Snapchat. That is, until one day, one of these shenanigans changed his life forever. And to think, it all started with an innocent game between Tay and his daughter.
The Post That Changed Everything
So, what happened exactly? "It started with me and Teija in the car fooling around," as Tay recalled. How did they see it? Their silly recordings were done with one goal and one goal only: "[To make] videos to send to Chan to make her happy in the mornings."
Safe to say, they did exactly that. Only Chan Kabs wasn't the only one amused by their light-hearted fun. And as the duo took to Facebook to share their uplifting exchange - thanks to Mrs. Kabs' suggestion - they were about to find that out for themselves.
They Went Viral
"I didn't really want to do it. Who would want to see me and my daughter just sing in the car?" Tay recalled of his initial hesitance. Let's just say, he was proven wrong - and then some. And as he hit the upload button on his computer, his world would never be the same again.
It started with a few likes here and there - from family members or amused friends. But as Tay continued to scroll through his Facebook notifications, he couldn't believe his eyes: He had gone viral. "It got 100,000 views, and we realized this might be a thing," the speechless father revealed.
Becoming 'The Kabs Family'
He couldn't believe it. His and Teija's innocent exchange - intended to cheer up Chan - had morphed them into online stars. But what now? What exactly were they supposed to make of their newfound fame? But truthfully, the answer was practically staring them down.
"Do more videos," Chan recalled of the comments they were met with. And that's exactly what they did. "People were enjoying our day-to-day family life, so we thought… 'Why not?'" From backstage Snapchat clips to their new YouTube channel, The Kabs Family, Tay's amusing clan continued to take the online world by storm.
Welcoming TJ
But by the time May 2019 came rolling around, the blogging family was met with perhaps their most exciting chapter yet. And you can bet they wasted no time sharing it with the rest of us. "It happened so quickly, it's just crazy," Tay gushed of the big news.
What happened? The Kabs' were officially a family of 5. "The Kabs Family puzzle is finally complete!" Tay and Chan gushed at baby TJ's (Tay Kabs Jr.) arrival. Safe to say, after taking us inside that hospital delivery room, their baby boy was everything they could have asked for, and then some.
Their Unedited Reality
From hospital delivery rooms to heated arguments at home, there was no denying it: The Kabs family had taken the online world by storm. And perhaps with good reason. The truth? The British celebrities were nothing the influencing world had ever seen before.
Nope, their home wasn't always pristine or freshly cleaned, nor were their children always smiling, ready to entertain the camera. Instead? Their (sometimes) messy home and crying children offered a refreshing take on blogging. "We just show our real life - we don't try to make it up," as Tay put it.
They Struggled With Lockdown
As the story goes, by the time 2020 hit, so did their biggest challenge yet. A global pandemic had just swept across the nation, threatening everything the Kabs had built for themselves. How would they continue to entertain when they were now confined to their home?
As Chan put it, "It's lockdown, there's not much you can do." And the truth was that she was right. She and her husband needed to brainstorm new ways to keep things fresh and exciting. But what if that wasn't enough? They were at a standstill, feeling the pressure from just about every direction.
The Truth About Quarantine
But by Springtime, their creative path actually brought them down a slippery slope. At least where the online world was concerned. What happened? "I've decided to do something different today," Tay explained in the latest upload. Only his update on lockdown life - his "quarantine diaries" - left fans with lots of questions.
"As you know, there's something serious going on right now," he reminded users of following proper safety guidelines. But that's not all he said. "The truth is… they're driving me crazy," Tay confessed of his family. "It's not easy, it's not easy." What was really going on behind closed doors?
Their Mysterious Hiatus
Unfortunately for concerned fans, their questions were far from being answered. In fact, fast forward to November? And the Kabs family had seemingly... disappeared. Instead of their typical weekly uploads, they had gone silent. And you can bet it only fueled the flames of the rumors that now hijacked our feeds.
What was really going on inside their North London home? Was lockdown life becoming too much for Tay to handle? People wanted answers desperately. Perhaps that's why it wasn't long before Tay and his wife rushed online to settle the speculation, once and for all.
They Needed To Take a Step Back
"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Tay explained as he took to his webcam almost a month later. As for what he and his wife had to say for themselves? "We took a break in November because we just felt like we needed to… 'woosah,'" the emotionally drained star revealed.
"We were just too busy, doing too much… wasn't thinking," he and Chan continued. Their stress had simply reached a boiling point, one they couldn't deny any longer. "It's been a busy one, to the point where we even deleted 2 vlogs by accident. This is where we knew we had to slow down."
Fans Loved Their Vulnerability
Sure, their latest upload was nothing like their signature lighthearted content. Tay and Chan had left little to the imagination when it came to the Kabs household. But in doing so, they also continued to rally an army of supporters. After all, their cutting words came with some sense of comfort.
"The more you show, the more people feel comfortable to know that, 'Okay, I'm not the only one going through this,'" Chan explained of their vulnerability. And viewers couldn't get enough of it - almost 1 million subscribers, to be exact. Only their success was about to reach new heights.
Maliya’s Singing Went Viral
Fast forward to March of 2021, and their fame had officially brought them all over the world. It'd been mere months since they decided to pump the breaks - but there was no going back now. Their latest upload had morphed them into international stars, and they actually had their 4-year-old daughter to thank for that.
Tay's latest upload, a video of him and Maliya singing, had blown up. His clip had gone viral, raking in almost 2.5 million impressed viewers. Clearly, Tay wasn't the only one left speechless by his daughter's ability to nail Selena Quintanilla's Spanish ballads and Apollo G's Portuguese raps.
The Price of Fame
There was no doubt about it: Tay and Maliya's latest adventure had officially put their names on the map. With viral videos and almost 1 million subscribers to show for themselves, the Kabs' were on top of the world, seemingly unstoppable. Or so it seemed.
The truth? The family's fame came with a price, as we'd soon find out. Because, after all, not everything is as it seems. And when it came to one of YouTube's most famous families? There was more going on behind closed doors than they may have let on.
They Were Overwhelmed by the Attention
When you're living a life in front of the public eye, perhaps the thought of paparazzi or fans asking for a picture sounds unalarming, almost expected. But when it came to Tay Kabs? It was overwhelming, and then some. "He just hates the attention on us," Chan admitted of her husband's shyness.
But the truth? That's not the only reason the Kabs' felt in over their heads. With an endless amount of comments hijacking their videos, they simply felt helpless. "It's just hard to reply to every single one," Chan admitted of their overwhelming messages. "We just sit there on our phone all night."
They Struggled With Hate
Sure, the comments hurled the family's way were endless. After all, with the Kabs name plastered just about everywhere, people had lots to say for themselves. But it wasn't long before the negative comments came pouring in. Safe to say, they stung - badly.
"When people throw you comments… it hurts," Chan admitted of the hateful remarks she's encountered along the way. "Do you see how damaging your words can be?" Unfortunately, Chan and Tay's battle with skeptics was far from over. In fact, the people they loved the most were about to be brought into question.
Their Influencing Children
"People judged us so much," Chan confessed of the further negativity she and Tay were met with. But why? Their children. As skeptics put it, life inside the Kabs household was not how it appeared. Instead, they believed there was a darker truth behind their blogging ways.
After following along on the Kabs children's journeys, viewers were left with alarming concerns: How much of their childhoods were being turned into profit? What percentage of their reality was scripted? And perhaps most importantly: How did they truly feel about it all?
Paid Partnerships
Whatever the case may have been, there was one thing viewers couldn't deny: The Kabs' had earned a pretty penny from their documented adventures. From a paid partnership with vitamin brand Haliborange to advertised videos, their business ventures were clearly thriving. Including, of course, their very own merch line.
Sure, Tay and Chan may have quit their former office jobs. But thanks to their latest online endeavors? The successful bloggers had certainly made up for it, and then some; Which leads us to perhaps one of the most speculated questions about the Kabs family.
Their Net Worth
How much exactly have the Kabs made from their time in front of the camera? Have they made a proper living off of their online ways? Or perhaps, were they not as successful as one might assume? For starters, according to various sources, the blogging parents have each landed millionaire status.
As for what that looks like? As Buzzlearn put it, both Tay and Chan have earned anything ranging from around $1 million to $5 million. And they've shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon; We've got a feeling that number is only going to continue to grow.
Addressing the Rumors
Of course, quitting their day jobs to live a life in front of the camera has raised several eyebrows over the years. But Tay and Chan know that. And they'll be happy to explain themselves. How do they see it? "It doesn't have to be okay for you," Chan shared.
As she and her husband put it, "There are so many different styles of parenting." Safe to say, theirs had been met with endless rumors. But there's one comment the Kabs' will continue to fight, time and time again. "If our kids don't feel like filming, they don't. Tay and I take over the camera," Chan assured of her children's consent.
#LoveDon'tJudge
From the moment Chan became pregnant at 16, she and Tay's lives have never been the same. But with an endless amount of love, they've gone on to prove many skeptics wrong. Perhaps that's why they decided to take part in a national movement focused on doing exactly that: Spreading love.
"Join in... Let's get together and eradicate… judgments," Chan revealed of the #LoveDon'tJudge campaign, focused on fighting parental criticism. "Parenting is a magical experience," as the official website stated. "Nobody has the right to taint your adventure with unwelcome opinions or unwarranted judgment."
Tay Felt Immense Pressure
Over the years, Tay and Chan have secured an army of followers, as well as (estimated) millions in the bank. But that doesn't mean it's always been easy. The truth is that, well, it hasn't. With all eyes on them constantly? The Kabs' reality isn't always fun and games.
Or at least where Tay is concerned. In fact, Mr. Kabs has been met with endless amounts of pressure online. "The toughest bit for me? Is being creative," he confessed. Even when he's not working, his mind always is. "You always have to think of something creative to put out."
Never Forgetting Their Roots
They say home is where the heart is, and while Tay and Chan's reality looks slightly differently now, they'll never forget where they came from. The Congolese and Ghanaian natives, respectively, have paid tribute to their humble beginnings on endless occasions. But perhaps the most remarkable one?
The moment the two tied the knot back on July 14th, 2018. With vibrant dancing and dresses throughout, their Ghanaian and Congolese traditional ceremony was a night to remember. "You gotta really know the cultures of each other," Tay gushed of their decision to ditch a classic white wedding.
Defying the Odds
"A lot of people say, 'Young people don't really stay together,'" Tay explained of the doubts they've faced along the way. "'You're still together? You've been together this long?'" Safe to say, he and Chan have defied all odds ever since crossing paths that fateful day back in 2003.
Sure, their journey has been met with endless obstacles. But 18 years later, they've made it to the other side - even stronger. "We laugh a lot… we never cross boundaries… we respect each other," Chan gushed. And while their road to stardom might have been years in the making, we've got a feeling this is just the beginning.
Perfectly Imperfect
From confused teen parents to proud founders of their very own empire, Chan and Tay have been taken on one whirlwind of a ride. But fast forward to today, and the online stars are just as "flawed," as they'll happily remind us themselves. And there's something beautiful to be learned from it.
"There is no blueprint for parenting... no specific way it should look," Chan explained. Sure, their reality might call for lots of sleepless nights, messy floors, and temper tantrums. But they wouldn't have it any other way. The truth? The Kabs' imperfect reality is exactly what makes them so perfect to the online world.