Black Coffee's Soulistic Music record label has reportedly lost a major artist and it is all due to the ongoing Gender Based Violence (GBV) scandal he is involved in. Sunday World reported that musician Holly Rey decided to allegedly break away from the record label following the drama which ensued when his estranged wife Enhle Mbali accused him of abuse.
Apart from wanting to allegedly distance herself from the accused record label owner and his company, she also wants to make a name for herself as an independent artist. The publication reported that Holly Rey wants to save her career in the industry, and avoid bad publicity. The Deeper hitmaker has only spent a year signed under Black Coffee, and is not planning on spending another year.
She is still looking to work with her former colleagues as there is no bad blood between them. Holly also has her own record label called Rey Music which she will be working under from now on.
She told Sunday World that she had initially left at the beginning of the year, but the reason she only announced this now was because of the scandal involving her boss. She also added that she loved working at the record label but it was time to move on.
“I left the record label earlier this year because I realised there was much more I can do as an independent artist, and then the scandals came through. At the time, I realised that my move would make better business sense and with everything that is happening, I’m just glad that I successfully released my single and will be releasing an EP later this year,” she was quoted saying.
“I loved working at Soulstic Music, but with everything that is happening, I think it is best that I work on myself my own way,” she clarified.
Whilst signed under the label, Holly achieved a milestone that no other female artist achieved. She took home the Record of the Year Award at the South African Music Awards (SAMA25) in 2019. This was won by Brenda Fassie 20 years before that. Not only that, she made history of being the first white woman to take home this award.
In an exclusive interview with ZAlebs, Holly said she was never after the fame but her passion for music prevailed. She said she faced many challenges including being shunned by her industry mates. "Never giving up is always my a recipe for success. Keep creating, keep pushing, keep on keeping on," she said.
"I have a healthy respect for the industry but I don't seek validation,” she also mentioned.
Speaking on her record-breaking SAMA win, she expressed disappointment that no other female muso had made a song that matches up to the men in the industry.
"The fact that there have only been two solo female artists who have won Record Of The Year in the history of the SAMA's demonstrates how the industry (and by this I mean the labels) put a bigger push behind their male artists. You can't tell me that in 20 years there was not a song by female artist that, if it had been given the right push, would not have won. There's also the unfair treatment the fairer sex face.
"I understand that often as women we have to work five times as hard to get that slot, or that check so we are easily threatened and way more defensive, but we need to break the cycle.
