Jelly Babie Balances Music Career and Spiritual Calling

Karabo Khakhu, better known by her stage name Jelly Babie, has decided to finally accept her spiritual calling as a traditional healer after holding it off for almost two years. The 19-year-old singer from Mabopane, Tshwane, shared that while she is embracing this new chapter in her life, she has no plans to leave her first love behind — music.

Speaking to Sunday World, Jelly Babie made it clear that music remains an important part of her life. “Music is my passion; how can I stop making music? My ancestors know. Music is my other gift,” she said. Her words show that she believes both paths, healing and music, are equally part of her destiny.

Her personal life has also been filled with challenges. She was briefly married to Koketso Shibambu, but the marriage lasted only 11 months before the pair went their separate ways. Before that, she had been in a relationship with the late Bacardi star, Itumeleng “Vusi Ma R5” Mosoeu, whom she dated at just 15 years old. Together, they performed in nightclubs across Tshwane, where she began making a name for herself in the music scene.

The tragic death of Vusi Ma R5 in January 2023 deeply affected Jelly Babie. He was shot outside the Legentsheng tavern in Soshanguve, about 30 km north of Pretoria. Reports stated that he was attacked near his car in Extension 13, and when his friends rushed to check after hearing gunshots, they found him lying on the ground.

After his funeral, Jelly Babie’s life took another turn. She decided to leave school in Grade 11, admitting that bullying from classmates and unwanted attention from teachers made it unbearable. “I dropped out of school after Ma R5’s funeral because I was being bullied by other kids at school, and teachers were getting too much into my business,” she explained.

Despite this, she has not completely closed the door on education. “Maybe I will go back [to school]. I just needed to finish this. But my journey is long; it doesn’t end,” she added.