Botlhale Boikanyo (born May 23, 2001) is a 22 year-old South African poet who rose to the limelight after winning the SA’s Got Talent show in 2012 – at the age of 11. Her victory allowed her to walk away with the sum of R2.5 million, which was kept safe in a trust fund account until she turned 18.
This huge win opened doors in and outside South Africa for the youngster, and two years later, she released the phenomenal Spoken Word and Music album. She has proven to Mzansi that age cannot limit anyone. You are never too young or old to dream, set goals, or achieve great things.
A Quick Profile Summary and Biography Of Botlhale Boikanyo
- Name: Botlhale Boikanyo
- Botlhale Boikanyo’s Age: 22 years old
- Date of Birth: May 23, 2001
- Place of Birth: Mahikeng, North West
- Zodiac Sign: Gemini
- Religion: Christian
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Relationship Status: In a relationship
- Botlhale Boikanyo’s Boyfriend: Kagiso Phaswana
- Botlhale Boikanyo’s Parents: Mumsy Boikanyo, Lebone Boikanyo
- Famous For: Winning SA Got Talent in 2012
Botlhale Boikanyo’s Talents Were Evident From When She Was 6 Years OldÂ
Botlhale Boikanyo was born in Mahikeng, North West, into the family of Mr. Lebone Boikanyo and Mrs. Mumsy Boikanyo, on the 23rd of May, 2001. She wouldn’t have wished to be born into a better family as her parents have supported her through her journey to stardom from as early as age six.
The singer and poet is not the only child of her parents, however, she is the oldest of three children. She has a younger sister and a brother. Both her parents are still quite young and her siblings are not teenagers yet. The family of 5 is a fun-loving and bubbly one. Botlhale spent a better part of her childhood at Mahikeng, where she was born. She would perform poetry during events, in public gatherings such as churches, weddings, schools, and many others, to improve herself.
Her Educational Status Is Not Open To The Public
Very little is known about her educational status, but judging from the fact that she places emphasis on the importance of being educated, it will come as no surprise that she is running her undergraduate program at the time of this writing. Botlhale Boikanyo has gone through her basic and high school education, but the names of the schools she attended are not known.
The young poet believes so much that education is the bedrock of success as one of her mantras says “Education + Jesus = Success.” Little wonder why she has been the top-performing student in every grade and has been awarded for being the most confident learner in high school.
Her parents have not been the only ones who have shown her support through her journey to become a renowned poet. Her teachers at school have been equally supportive of her passion.
In Terms Of Talent, Botlhale Boikanyo Was An Early Starter
As early as the age of six, Botlhale Boikanyo was already very passionate about poetry, thankfully, she was surrounded by people who fueled this passion of hers. She was also not a shy child, seeing that she could perform in public gatherings irrespective of the audience present.
It is very believable that her love for poetry started at a very young age as she started writing poems as soon as she could read and started performing on stage at the age of six. She started getting invited by event organizers around South Africa to perform for their guests. This helped her build her courage while announcing her potentials as a poet. She is also greatly inspired by the works of South African poets such as Lebo Mashile and Ntsiki Mazwai.
Winning South Africa’s Got Talent Show Was Her Breakthrough Moment
During the audition stage of SA’s Got Talent 2012, Botlhale Boikanyo who was 11 years old at the time was able to convince the judges that she deserved to make it to the show with her amazing talent. Passing one audition stage after the other, her talent continued to endear her to the judges and viewers who kept voting for her to make it to the next stage until she was finally announced as the winner.
Winning the talent show in 2012, gave her a major break in the entertainment industry – both in South Africa and globally. In 2013, she performed her poems at The Legacy of Hope Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital campaign launch in New York. Her invitation and performance coincided with international Mandela Day, which is celebrated around the world on his birthday.
At this time she was the organization’s Youth Ambassador and her opening speech gave birth to the album ‘Africa My Pride’, produced by Malambule of Native Rhythms Productions.
In 2014, she released the Spoken Word & Music album which contained spoken words, music, and poetry. This piece won her an award at the 2014 South African Music Awards (SAMA) for Best Traditional Album. Botlhale Boikanyo had earlier won the Best Praise Singer award at the 2013 SAMA after her work was nominated in three different categories including;
- Best Praise Singer
- Best Traditional Album, and
- Best Poet
Every music artist needs a hand to support them, and Botlhale has found support for her works as an artist under Native Rhythms Productions.
She Has Also Tried Her Hands On Acting
Botlhale Boikanyo has also expanded her portfolio to include acting and has appeared in the television series, Scandal! as ‘Omphile’. Recently, she landed another role as an actress on Magwinya Money.
With all these, it is safe to say that since 2012, the young star has remained relevant, and her journey has inspired young people in South Africa and beyond. For a young person her age, she has recorded huge successes, and she is not done yet. Botlhale promises to get into music and poetry fully after she graduates from school. Aside from music, poems, acting, and spoken words, Botlhale Boikanyo loves dancing and visual arts.
Who is Botlhale Boikanyo Dating?
Botlhale Boikanyo has been seen in nice loved-up photos which she posts on her social media pages with Kagiso Phaswana, hence, the belief they might be in a relationship. Phaswana, aka Kpaparazzi, is a photographer and content designer. Both youngsters are living each day beautifully and going on to build their careers. Maybe in the future, we might know the next steps they would be taking in their relationship.
Just so you know, the superstar is active on all her social media handles, and she keeps giving her followers what to gosh over. She uses the platform to share her career progress and lifestyle in pictures and videos with her followers. Her Instagram account has grown to accommodate thousands of followers.
