Rapper Nadia Nakai said her time on Tropika Island of Treasure was harder than she expected. She also said it took a toll on her confidence.
Nadia took part with her Smoooth Fan partner Andile Khuluse as Team Green Apple. The pair survived three elimination rounds before their journey ended.
“You watch the games and think they look so simple, but when you’re under pressure and trying to win a challenge, it becomes quite daunting,” she told IOL.
Their exit came after a big change in the show. Contestants who had been sent home earlier returned to the game.
At the same time, a new Team Orange joined the competition. The new team is made up of Caster Semenya and Ashay Sewlall.
Nadia said being up for elimination again and again was hard on her. “It was defeating to keep having a Safe Token and then lose it, and it was also disheartening to constantly find ourselves in the elimination rounds,” she said.
She said each survival gave the pair a reason to keep pushing. But the constant doubt still hurt. “It does take a knock on your self-esteem and confidence,” she said.
Nadia said she has always seen herself as competitive. In music, she said, that drive pushes her to succeed. On the island, it felt much more emotional.
“You really don’t want to let your partner down, you want to perform well and you want to look good while doing the challenges,” she said.
She said some of the social side of the show reminded her of high school. Back then, she did not always feel like the popular girl.
Nadia said one big lesson was learning to manage her emotions when the pressure grew too much.
She praised Andile for helping her focus whenever she felt like giving up. She called him an incredible motivator.
Nadia said she did more of the planning during challenges. Andile helped her stay determined to finish each task. “He gave me the tenacity to keep going and focus on completing the goal,” she said.
The pair also had proud moments. They finished first in the puzzle challenge.
Nadia said the water challenge was one of the toughest. Contestants had to swim underwater to collect balls, then come up and put them into a hoop.
Away from the games, she enjoyed Réunion Island. She said its beaches, food and views reminded her of Cape Town.
She was surprised by how close the island is to South Africa. She also enjoyed learning about its French links.
Nadia and Andile leave without the R1 million grand prize. Tropika Island of Treasure airs every Wednesday at 9pm on SABC 1, with a repeat on Thursdays at 6pm on S3.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL Entertainment. Image: IOL Entertainment. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Entertainment desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Rirhandzu Baloyi writes about entertainment for Tzaneen Voice. Rirhandzu covers South African music, film, TV, streaming, awards and celebrity news, from amapiano and local soapies to Showmax and Netflix releases. Stories stick to what happened, who was involved and when fans can watch or listen.