Holly Rey on the heat of the MasterChef SA kitchen and Season 6

For multi-platinum singer-songwriter Holly Rey, the transition from hitting high notes to handling high heat isn't as different as you might think. Whether she’s in front of a microphone or a stovetop, the "Deeper" hitmaker has one golden rule: if it isn’t authentic, it isn’t working.

Speaking from a sweltering KwaZulu-Natal morning, Holly sat down with EWN to reflect on her journey through the high-pressure world of Celebrity MasterChef South Africa, currently serving as a star-studded "appetizer" on e.tv before the premiere of Season 6 later this month.

THE FASTEST CLOCK IN AFRICA

Despite being a SAMA and SAFTA winner used to the spotlight, Holly admits the MasterChef kitchen is a totally different beast.

"I think my cooking style would definitely be my song Deeper," she said laughing. "It’s high energy. I’m loud in the kitchen, I like to talk and sing, and I never have a clean apron when I’m finished! It’s all over the place, but it’s my happy place.

"However, that happiness was put to the test by the show's infamous ticking clock.

"I used to watch from the couch and think, 'Why are they doing that?'" Holly admits.

"Now, I will never judge a contestant for panicking again. That clock ticks faster than a normal clock. You lose all sense and sensibility!"

For Holly, the motivation to join the show went beyond the culinary challenge.

As a Type 1 diabetic, she saw the platform as a way to advocate for her community and support her chosen charity, Sweet Life.

"It was about representing the diabetic community. There are so many misconceptions," she explains.

"If people see a diabetic in a kitchen cooking, eating, and living their best life, it’s really empowering."

MasterChef is more than just a TV show. Since its 1990 debut in the UK and its massive 2005 revival, the franchise has been adapted in over 60 countries and watched by more than 300 million people worldwide.

In South Africa, the show has become a cultural staple, moving through different broadcasters before landing at its brand-new home on e.tv this year.

By launching with the Celebrity Edition, the network has created a sort of palate pleaser, that allows fans to see their favorite stars, like Holly Rey, Yeye Letsholonyane, and Dineo Ranaka, struggling and succeeding in ways they never expected.

It’s a softer, funnier lead-in to the high-stakes drama that defines the main competition.

A LESSON IN REDEMPTION

Holly’s journey hasn't been without its burnt moments. In the first episode, her Milk Tart Samoosas were a self-described "flop". But in true star fashion, she pivoted, delivering a Salmon en Papillote that stunned the judges.

"I had to pull myself towards myself," she says, using a favorite family phrase for when things start to spiral. "I had to trust the flavours and processes I know. You have to be authentic to who you are as a cook."

THE MASTERCHEF CAMARADERIE

While the competition is fierce, Holly reveals that the bond between the celebrity contestants was the real prize. Living together during filming, she formed deep friendships with the likes of Yeye Letsholonyane and Mzukisi Mbane.

"There was so much camaraderie. Even when Yeye won the first round, I was so excited for him because I knew how much it meant for his charity. I made some of my closest friends in the industry on that set."

WHAT’S NEXT?

As the celebrity season winds down, Holly is cheering on the upcoming Season 6, which premieres on e.tv later this month. And if the call ever came for an All-Stars season? "100% I would do it again," she says without hesitation.

"You leave with something long-lasting, friends, memories, and experiences."

Whether she’s baking with her sister Mimi or competing for a title, Holly Rey continues to prove that food, just like music, is a universal language and she speaks it fluently.