Cape Town - Her list of accomplishments is long: model, presenter, actress, businesswoman, musician. And, most recently, appearing on Forbes Africa's 30 Under 30 list.
The annual list, which this year showcased 120 young African game-changers, is an honour Boity Thulo has been chasing for a while now – and the taste of success is sweet. "I feel very grateful," she says.
"It was just in time because I'm 29. This would have been my last year. It's more special because being on 30 under 30 has been on my vision board since 2017.
"I'm inspired to do more."
What’s next for her? "I'm releasing my single, Own Your Throne, next month," Boity says, referring to the phrase she often uses on social media. "So that’s something cool to look forward to," she adds.
Of course, becoming a game-changer requires plenty of hard work and Boity has been putting in the hours since she first made an appearance on the entertainment scene.
However, she's the first to admit things have changed since she first shot to fame 10 years ago.
"The youth today are a microwave generation – they want everything to happen now," Boity says. "I don't think they value what it really means to work and wait for your dreams and aspirations to come to life."
"Social media perpetuates that – the almost instant life that we live now gives the façade that everything happens now.
"So they don't understand the value of waiting and working hard towards your goals, dreams and aspirations."
Parents, she feels, are not having enough conversations with their children. "Ultimately, this affects the youth because I don't think they are being guided by their elders. Parents just throw iPads, tablets and cell phones at their kids, all these material things so they can have instant happiness."
Things may be different these days, but the sky is the limit if you stay true to yourself, she believes. "Your journey is made just for you and everything will happen at its time," Boity says.
"Just trust in the fact the universe or God, or whatever you believe in, is really taking care of where you're going.
"Don't let anything stand in your way, don't let opinions or people box you into something you are not. Do you and be sure that if you have a dream, you chase it relentlessly because the dream was placed in you, not someone else."
Owning her throne is the secret to Boity's success. "You must walk your own path. It makes things so much easier because you're less distracted. When you find your purpose, you get less distracted because you stop looking at what other people are doing. You stop comparing yourself to others.
"Had I been distracted by what someone else was doing or who was getting what gig before me, I would've given up by now because I would have felt like everything is taking too long."
TAKE A CLOER LOOK AT HER PHENOMENAL PATH TO THE TOP:
GIRL POWER
She makes her debut in 2010 on 4Play: Sex Tips for Girls, a sex education show on e.TV.
A year later, Boity joins SABC 1’s The Media Career Guide Show, helping youth decide which career paths to follow. Later that year she showcases her dance skills as a guest judge on SABC1’s talent series Turn It Out: Street Battle.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
We're introduced to Boity the actress when she joins Mzansi Magic drama Rockville two years after breaking into the industry.
In 2012, Boity makes the leap to the big screen in Taxi Ride, her first role in a film.
LEADING THE PACK
Boity reaches celebrity status in 2014 when she features in Rolling with . . . The Celeb Edition, a reality documentary series that follows the lives of interesting personalities.
Her supporter base grows when she partners with professional ballroom dancer Ryan Hammond in season 7 of Strictly Come Dancing.
MUSIC-MAKER
In 2015 she joins Club 808, a music show on e.TV, where she meets Nasty C, who would later collaborate with her on her debut track Wuz Dat.
"I told him one day I want to pursue rap and he asked me to perform his song on Club 808 when I was still a presenter," Boity recalls. "People loved my performance and said I was a natural."
NEW CAR, NEW HOME
The fruits of her hard work start to show in 2016 when she buys a house worth R4 million. Just two months later, Boity buys a Mercedes-Benz sports car that costs a whopping R1m. This is the same year she partners with Sissy Boy for a jeans collection geared at celebrating women with curves – a partnership that goes so well a follow-up line is released in 2018. In June this year, Boity drops over R2m on a sports SUV. "My incredible baby is finally here. Welcome home, Esther," she says.
LOVING HERSELF
She takes a break from the spotlight in 2016 to focus on her ancestral calling. Even though she doesn't practise as a traditional healer, Boity has made peace with her path. "There was a time it scared me. I was afraid of what people would say. Some would tell me to find Jesus, but I had to learn to accept my gift," she says.
SMELL OF SUCCESS
She branches into business in 2017, launching her own weight-loss pill. Then she teams up with Impulse to create limited-edition body sprays. "Maybe one day I'll even have my own fragrance."
TRIPLE THREAT
She ends 2018 on a high with the release of Wuz Dat. Boity's 2019 gets off to a great start when she drops her second hit, Bakae.
