TIMELINE | Babes Wodumo's rollercoaster year

Although South Africans spent most of this year under a national lockdown, gqom sensation Babes Wodumo found herself hitting the social media trends list every now and then.

At the beginning of the year, the gqom sensation shied away from the spotlight after her name trended when people noticed her drastic weight loss last year.  

Here's a recap of Babes' drama-filled year:

Babes and Mampintsha create a  coronavirus song

While people ridiculed and shamed her weight loss, in March Babes decided to use her time under lockdown by working on a song about the coronavirus that continues to wreak havoc across the world.

The song is a good gqom beat and nothing but vibes that many gqom fanatics found themselves loving.

Her management slams 'cocaine' accusations during viral Instagram Live video

Babes topped the Twitter trends list in June after a video of her breaking down during an interview with socialite Tha, from the reality show Kwa MaMkhize, went viral.

Shortly after a tearful Babes disconnected from Instagram Live, Tha also burst into tears and insinuated she had allegedly used cocaine in front of him and viewers.

Speaking to TshisaLIVE, Babes' sister and PR manager Nondumiso Simelane denied the accusations.

“If you saw the Live, you will also testify. Everyone who watched the Live didn't see any cocaine so that is the answer. Just so we are clear regarding the cocaine story, there was no cocaine in sight and viewers of that Live also said as much.”

In the viral video, which was done on Babes' boyfriend and fellow musician Mampintsha's Instagram Stories, the Wololo hitmaker struggled to fight back tears as she opened up about the pain of being judged by people who know nothing about her.

She spoke about the pressure she has been under and how people had apparently dismissed her personal issues and written her off. Shortly after Babes had disconnected from the Live chat, Tha claimed he had just seen her taking cocaine and said  she would never change.

Nondumiso said she had no idea why Tha would say something like this about Babes.

“As for Tha saying that, you will have to ask him why he said that because that's on him. We don't know anything about the cocaine Tha apparently saw. Ask him, maybe he'll answer. You never know, sometimes you think you saw something and it turned out to be nothing or maybe he had his own motives. We don't know.” 

Nondumiso did admit that Babes was under the influence of alcohol.

“Babes is okay. The only thing you saw and she also admitted to was that she was busy drinking. She has her Savanna or whatever. She even said during the live, 'Ey guys I am drinking'. But there was no cocaine. That's it,” Nondumiso said

Babes returns after a year-long social media hiatus

In September, Babes returned to Instagram after a social media break, reminding fans that she’s still an active and a fierce gqom queen.

Babes took a year’s hiatus from social media and returned on the socials to remind her follower’s that her single idandokazi was ready to be purchased on streaming platforms.

Speaking to TshisaLIVE, Babes made it known she's not “reclaiming the crown” because she never stepped off her throne.

“I don't think my crown was ever off my head, I remain the queen of gqom until I decide otherwise!”

Babes issa fiancé after Mampintsha proposed live on radio

In October, Babes was left speechless after the record label boss and her long-term boyfriend Mampintsha popped the question live on Gagasi FM.

In a series of videos shared on Instagram, Mampintsha can be seen going down on one knee with a ring in his hand as presenters tell Babes — who looked like she had no idea what was coming — that the proposal was real.

In the video, a happy yet nervous Mampintsha can be heard saying to the love of his life that they've been together for a long time and he feels it's time.

“Be my wife Ma Simelane. It’s been years. It’s been a long time my love,” Mampintsha told his future wife.

A blushing yet surprised Babes said  “Yes”, and the room to erupted in celebration.

“Within a blink of an eye and now I’m left speechless. The journey wasn’t easy but we stuck together through thick and thin. Ngiyabonga Mashimane,” Babes said later when she reposted the videos of the proposal.