Emerging from adversity with a voice that commands attention, 21-year-old artist Buhlebenkosi Fongoqa—known to fans as Belah-Reine—is redefining what it means to heal through music.Born into a home shaped by powerful role models, Fongoqa credits her late mother’s entrepreneurial spirit and enduring love as the foundation of her strength. “She taught me to believe that I can be and do anything,” she says. Her father, also a successful businessman, ensured she had access to exceptional education and opportunities that nurtured her growing talent.From her earliest years, Belah-Reine demonstrated an extraordinary connection to music. According to family lore, she sang before she could speak, and her first standing ovation came at age 7 with her solo performance of “This Is Me” from Disney’s Camp Rock. Her gift continued to shine throughout school, where teachers recognized and supported her musical development—from choir and jazz band to memorable solo performances, including a beloved cover of Adele’s “Someone Like You.”But her journey wasn’t always melodic. At thirteen, she was diagnosed with depression and anxiety—later evolving into Borderline Personality Disorder and Bipolar Type 2. Poetry became her raw refuge. “It was slam poetry. No filters—just emotion hitting the listener like a wave,” she recalls. Her music, rich with vulnerability and courage, reflects a fusion of pain and purpose, inspired by icons such as Adele, Sam Smith, Eminem, and Beyoncé.At 17, she entered remission—but shortly after, tragedy struck. COVID-19 took her mother, her biggest supporter. The loss, she says, was unfathomable. “She believed in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. I knew I had to keep going. For her.”That motivation drives Belah-Reine’s mission: to inspire and empower a broken generation searching for love, identity, and healing. Her songs speak of authenticity, inner strength, and radical self-love—challenging listeners to recognize their worth.“I want my voice to reach the ones still in school, the ones who feel unseen,” she says. “To tell them: You’re not alone. You are worthy of joy, of love, of dreams fulfilled.”From lullabies in the womb to recording her first track at 13 with her older brother—who declared her a superstar long before the world knew her name—Belah-Reine’s rise is a testament to resilience. Now 21, she’s ready to share her light globally, using the scars of her story not as wounds—but as proof that healing is possible.Her journey isn’t just one of talent. It’s a movement. And the world is listening.
About The Author
