Holly Rey opens up about health battle, music and finding her way back
South African singer Holly Rey has opened up about the serious health challenges that forced her to step away from music, revealing to Carol Ofori why putting her health first has changed almost every part of her life.
For years, Holly Rey has been known for the music, performances and milestones that have made her one of South Africa's most recognisable artists.
But when she joined Carol Ofori in the East Coast Radio studio, the conversation went beyond the stage.
It was Holly's first interview since becoming seriously ill, and she spoke candidly about the health journey that has reshaped her life.
Holly told Carol that she was diagnosed with renal failure and chronic kidney disease after experiencing a severe decline in her health.
"The biggest thing has been my health," she said. "Last year I was diagnosed with renal failure and chronic kidney disease."
She described spending months in and out of hospital and eventually having to accept that her career could no longer come before her wellbeing.
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My body forced me to take a step back'
Holly recalled being hospitalised in Johannesburg in 2024 after suffering from extreme exhaustion.
Despite being unwell, her first instinct was still to perform.
She told Carol that she discharged herself from hospital to make a performance before returning to Durban and being rushed back to hospital.
Her doctor eventually told her she could not continue prioritising music and work over her health.
Holly said there were periods when she struggled to walk, breathe properly or find the energy to do everyday things.
"My body forced me to take a step back, because I don't think I ever would've," she said.
That step back has meant learning an entirely different pace of life.
Today, Holly says much of her day centres around monitoring her health, including her glucose and kidney function.
She is also permanently connected to an insulin pump, something that initially required a major emotional and practical adjustment, including changing the way she dresses, sleeps and moves through everyday life.
Instead of hiding it, Holly now wants people to see the device and ask questions.
For her, those conversations are another opportunity to educate people about diabetes and challenge assumptions about what someone living with the condition looks like.
"Diabetes looks like me. It looks like your next-door neighbour, your kid," she told Carol.
When will Holly Rey release new music?
It is the question Holly says she gets whenever she posts on social media: When is the new music coming?
For now, she is not rushing herself.
Holly explained that her oxygen levels are still not high enough for her to sing comfortably, although music remains very much part of her life.
She is still writing, imagining melodies and looking forward to returning to the studio when she feels physically strong enough.
"When the time is right, I will get back to studio," she said.
In the meantime, slowing down has opened the door to other passions.
Her diabetes advocacy work has become increasingly important, particularly her work with children living with Type 1 diabetes.
She has also launched Rya, a jewellery brand inspired by her mother and grandmother, and has moved further into television production.
Holly and her sister are working on Reycation, a series exploring some of South Africa's best family holiday destinations.
She is also continuing her diabetes education work, including camps for children living with Type 1 diabetes in underserved communities and the Wear It Forward initiative, which raises money for diabetes education programmes.
Holly Rey's message to women
As the conversation came to an end during Women's Month, Carol asked Holly what she wanted other women listening to her story to remember.
Her answer was simple: stop looking outside yourself for proof of your strength.
"Everything that you need to be successful, everything you need and all the strength that you need is within you already," Holly said.
"You already have all the strength that you need to get through whatever it is that you're facing."
For Carol, it was a chance to show listeners another side of an artist they may know primarily through her music.
And the significance of the conversation was not lost on Holly.
After the interview, she sent the team a message:
"Thank you so much for having me. My first interview since getting sick and it was so gentle and kind, so thank you so much."
Listen to the full conversation between Holly Rey and Carol Ofori below.