Deciphering the rise of Skolopad

When a little-known aspiring artist from the Free State showed up on the black carpet at the Metro FM Music Awards at the beginning of the year, intent on gatecrashing and causing a stir, little did anyone know she would soon become a national obsession.

34-year-old nurse, Nonhlanhla Qwabe, rocked 2017  when she showed up to the prestigious music awards in Durban wearing a revealing dress. It was her confidence that eventually won people over. 

Soon videos of the star showing off her thighs and booty tattoo went viral, with fans offering their opinions on her entrance.

She would later tell TshisaLIVE that her family thought she was possessed by demons when she decided to hit the carpet in the revealing outfit.

She repeated the trick three months later at the SA Music Awards when she took to the carpet in a peach dress that once again showed off her booty.

By then the star had already announced her plans to launch a music career and shared a stage with Rebecca Malope, Dr Malinga and Doc Shebeleza at Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s “homecoming” party.

Away from the spotlight, she opened up to TshisaLIVE about her alleged rape and how she had several difficulties on her road to 'stardom.'

She was the talk of the town, but as her fame rose her work became more demanding, resulting in a nervous breakdown in August.

Opening up about her struggles to balance her two careers‚ Skolopad told a fan on social media that she felt dead inside.

“I’m dead inside and tired of acting as if I’m okay. Sometimes I don’t even have that. I did what I had to do to be where I am today (and) I can’t anymore. I need my normal life back."

Her closest friends and fans did all they could to help, her but it was the encouragement of her 16-year-old daughter and a feud with dancer Zodwa Wabantu that saw the star launch a surprise comeback.

After Zodwa refused to take a picture with Skolopad at the Feather Awards Nomination party in Johannesburg, the pair were embroiled in a spicy tit-for-tat.

It culminated in Zodwa telling Skolopad to leave her alone and accussed her of being an attention seeker. Skolopad responded by claiming that Zodwa wished she was a singer like her and said Zodwa had only become popular because she followed Afrotainment boss DJ Tira around "like a trailer".

The year ended with Skolopad making one final statement about her feud with Zodwa, showing up to The Feather Awards in Johannesburg dressed in a boerewors outfit.

"I wore it to show that I do not like beef (feuds). Wors is easy to braai and I have my charcoal to braai after this," she said.