Reality: Papa Penny Ahee, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Great SA Bake Off
Musician-turned-reality TV star Penny Penny returns with a funky new season of Papa Penny Ahee.
“You can take the man out of the village, but you can’t take the village out of the man,” laughs Penny Penny. The Xitsonga-disco muso has made a quick return to screens with season 2 of his reality series Papa Penny Ahee (2017- current). While the award-winning musician has travelled the world with his music, he’s settled in a Mopani village in Limpopo to spend time and “grow old” with his 18 kids and 91-year- old mother. He’s also a ward councillor in the region and works to uplift his community. “My life is crazy and colourful: what you see is what you get,” laughs the 52-year-old. “We don’t have a script, so every fight, argument and smile is real. And in this season, our viewers will also get to hear and watch me perform my new music.” The flamboyant family man will also be showing us just how hard he works in the political world, toning down his fashion for meetings – although his trademark hairstyle is firmly in place.
FAN FAVOURITE
This isn’t Penny Penny’s first or even second stint on reality TV. He was a choir master in season 3 of Mzansi Magic’s singing competition Clash Of The Choirs (2012- current) in late 2016 and reveals that “the producers and audiences wanted to see more of me. I was happy to start shooting as I live a simple life that a lot of people can relate to”. As on Clash Of The Choirs, Penny Penny is the man in charge of Papa Penny Ahee and manages everything and everyone in his household, including “the flashy décor and the paint on my walls. I became the man of the house when I was 10. I got my first pay cheque before I was a teen and that prepared me for the cut-throat music industry,” explains Penny.
It hasn’t been all hit songs on the show though and Penny says that social media trolls regularly hit out at him for his command of English. But he stands behind his personality: “It’s entertainment! Some people will like what they see, while others don’t. People made fun of my English and accent. But this is who I am. I speak Xitsonga and that’s how I express myself,” he adds.
DREAMWORKS
Music isn’t the only talent under Penny Penny’s belt. He’s a hands-on father and accomplished interior designer too, proudly showing off his “man cave of solitude” where he can escape for some “me time”. he’s also a dab hand at art and jokes that audiences will see him sculpting a bit in season 2.
“I love the finer things in life,” laughs Penny Penny. “I’ve enjoyed every part of my musical journey. There’s nothing simple about success. I want to show the viewers that reaching their goals isn’t going to be easy but it’s definitely worth it,” adds the musician. And he’s not stopping now – Penny will also show off the prep work for his 2018 world tour. “I have a management team in the US and around Europe. When boxer Floyd Mayweather beat Connor McGregor in August, the DJ at one of the after-parties in Las Vegas was playing one of my songs. I can’t wait to take my music overseas again and play for another live audience!”