Life With Kelly Khumalo S2 is now streaming on Showmax, with new episodes coming every Thursday.

Season 1 became the fastest Showmax Original to top one million views when it launched in August 2020. The half-hour show, which trended at #1 on Twitter, was hailed as “explosive” by Chrizelda Kekana on Timeslive, while The Star’s Debashine Thangevelo added that it “pulls no punches… one of the best celeb-driven reality shows I’ve watched in a while. The woman at the heart of it is independent, feisty and a tour de force.”

RELATED: BABES WODUMO & MAMPINTSHA’S REALITY SHOW DELAYED

Next week, Life With Kelly Khumalo S1 is up for a South African Film and Television Award for Best Soap Structured Reality TV Show, where its only competition is from two other Showmax Originals: Lebo M – Coming Home and Somizi & Mohale: The Union.

A household name by 21, Kelly is one of South Africa’s biggest music stars, who’s been named Best Female Artist at the South African Music Awards, sold millions of albums, and opened for Grammy winner Missy Elliott, with over two million followers on Instagram alone. Since Season 1, she’s launched her eighth studio album, The Voice of Africa, featuring the hit single Empini, which has already racked up over seven million views on YouTube alone.

Season 1 didn’t shy away from any of her controversies, like her turbulent relationship with her son’s father, hip hop star Jub Jub; the conspiracy theories surrounding the death of her daughter’s father, Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa; and her ‘divorce’ from her sister, Zandie.

But Life With Kelly Khumalo also offered fans an intimate glimpse at the woman behind the headlines: a single mother of two who was juggling parenting with two careers under threat by South Africa’s unprecedented Covid-19 lockdown, which banned both live music and alcohol sales – just as she launched her first gin, appropriately titled Controversy. As GQ put it, Season 1 “reveals a side to Kelly no one has seen before.”

The big talking point from the first episode of Season 2 is going to be Kelly’s visit to a therapist with her mother, Ntombi Khumalo, who infamously moved out of Kelly’s house and headed for KwaZulu-Natal in Season 1 with no warning.

“I have been seeing a therapist for years and I saw what that has done for me, especially recently,” Kelly told us. “When it’s just the two of us trying to sort things out, it never amounts to anything, except us misunderstanding each other further. So hopefully a trained third party will make a big difference.”

The therapy session brings both to tears.

But while Ntombi is back, now it’s Kelly’s close friend Wanda Baloyi who’s missing, living her best life in Mozambique. “It’s quite lonely without her,” Kelly admits in episode 1. When Wanda says she’s not sure when she’s coming back, Kelly asks, “Chommie, should I start auditioning for a new friend?”

Season 2’s trailer teases more drama to come, including Kelly venturing into the shoe industry and starting to date again.

Life With Kelly Khumalo is produced by BarLeader and directed by Olwethu Mlotshwa, the power combo behind hit reality shows like Somizi & Mohale: The Union, Being Bonang and Kwa Mam’Mkhize.

The full second season will be available to binge from 5 August 2021.

Browse The Latest Series, Movies, Reality Shows To Stream in SA NOW!

If it seems like we are have a big crush on Thuso Mbedu, which we do, it wouldn’t be the only ground to shine the spotlight on the actress. As luck and sheer talent would have it, she’s just landed another big role alongside American actress and producer, Viola Davis.

Mbedu let the cat out of the bag in an Instagram Live Video session where she detailed the first time meeting the multi-award winning actress. Captioned as an hour-long catching up session, she revealed tidbits about life in Hollywood, kicking things off with an update on the Underground Railroad press run.

The conversation was very insightful, none more appetising than when the star shared details on how she got the chance to work with the Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom actress in the duo’s upcoming film The Woman King.

“I found out about the project in 2019, right.” she explained. “And I went to meet Viola Davis and her husband’s production company JuVee Productions. And they had just told me about this project,” said Thuso.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Thuso Mbedu (@thuso.mbedu)

Viola and Julius Tennon of JuVee Productions gave a glowing endorsement of the Mzansi actress, saying they were “mesmerised by Thuso”. As it was reported on Deadline, they thought she was perfect for the project.

“The depth and complexity of emotional life, her authentic beauty, and regalness is potent. We were mesmerised by Thuso Mbedu. We wanted Woman King / Nawi to be the vehicle to introduce her on the big screen,” they said.

It seems that part of production for the movie will also be filmed in South Ah. Thuso shared that “it’s set in the 1800s in Africa and it’s based on real life events of women warriors”.

There is no doubt that the red carpet treatment awaits Thuso Mbedu when she returns home for all her exploits abroad.

Mlindo The Vocalist on Friday made a big return to the music scene through the release of his brand new single ‘Imali’. This time the KZN native has partnered with Nathi.

Of the collab, Mlindo the Vocalist said: “ I am a big fan of Nathi and I am so honoured to have him on the song with me. I actually can’t really believe that I have a song with Nathi!“ said the ‘Egoli’ hit maker.

The song soulfully explores the age-old experience that countless South Africans have had to undertake of moving to Johannesburg to work and support their families back home. It also describes the pain of becoming successful and people only see you as a meal ticket.

“A lot of people know how it feels to be financially responsible for your family – black tax – and sometimes even your friends. You don’t even enjoy going out anymore because everyone looks to you when the bill comes,” said Mlindo.

Stream or Download ‘Mali’ here: Mlindo.lnk.to/MFN

Discover New Music, Exclusive Interviews and Album Reviews on QuenchSA.com!