Award-winning musician Holly Rey has been crowned the winner of The Masked Singer South Africa.
During the season finale, the disguised celebrity took Lollipop to the top and kept her identity intact until the end.
Holly clinched the coveted Golden Mask Trophy when Lollipop crushed the statuesque romantic hero Rhino in the show’s epic smackdown.
In this battle, the two costumed contenders performed a duet of Justin Bieber’s Baby.
The show started with two face-offs during which the remaining four costumed contenders had to secure spots in the smackdown.
First, Lollipop eliminated Lion, whereafter Rhino chopped down Tree.
When Lion took off his mane, the king of the jungle was unmasked as award-winning actor Abdul Khoza.
Then Tree turned out to be the suave, multifaceted entertainer and business mogul Maps Maponyane.
The riddle of the Rhino, which gave the show’s four celebrity detectives sleepless nights, was also finally solved. The Masked Singer South Africa’s runner-up, Rhino, was Afrikaans music superstar Kurt Darren.
For a long time, the detectives had suspected that the adorable, energetic Simba was one of the Khoza brothers – SK or his younger brother Abdul.
In the end, Lion’s last rip-roaring stage act and a recent clue that he is a meditative Zen Lion caused Somizi, Sithelo, and Skhumba to settle on Abdul.
However, J’Something went with SK.
Abdul told the audience he loved being part of the show as it’s something his kids can identify with.
With the versatile Tree, who had audiences on their feet week after week, J’Something reckoned it was best to take all clues he had dropped throughout the season.
The emphasis on fashion prompted J’Something to name Maps Maponyane.
Sithelo came to the same conclusion by focusing on Tree’s magazine covers.
However, the guesses were split down the middle, with Somizi and Skhumba thinking the Tree was legendary actor Thapelo Mokoena.
Following his reveal, Maps confessed that he always makes important decisions, but participating in The Masked Singer South Africa was the best one ever, as it allowed him to show his “other side”.
After Rhino’s first performance of the evening, J’Something had a light-bulb moment. The detectives had gathered that Rhino could only be a bulky sports star and probably a rugby player.
Then, all the pieces of the puzzle suddenly fell into place for J’Something, who realized that Rhino is a professional singer and that all the references to ships indicated that it was Darren, whose hit song Kaptein is an anthem in sports stadiums across the globe.
Rhino also let slip that he cares for bugs and giraffes, and Sithelo thought her absolute favourite masked singer could be rugby player Jannie du Plessis.
Somizi and Skhumba were on the same trail, naming rugby legends Francois Pienaar and Tendai “The Beast” Mtawarira.
After his reveal, Somizi gave Darren a massive compliment, saying he has an amazing spiritual connection with his audience even with a mask on.
While J’Something was the only detective managing to unmask Rhino, he got it all wrong with The Mask Singer South Africa winner, Lollipop. The palette of her colourful mask reminded him of Sho Madjozi.
It was also a fail for detective Skhumba, who picked Pabi Moloi due to the reference to diabetes in Lollipop’s clues.
But Somizi and Sithelo were spot on. Sithelo based her guess on Lollipop’s certificates, knowing that Holly graduated cum laude.
Somizi said: “Lollipop was born to be a history maker. Lollipop was born to be a record-holder.
“She became the first woman to win Song of the Year after the legendary Brenda Fassie 20 years ago. Lollipop is Holly Rey.”
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