Christall Kay’s story: From music to reality TV fame
As an entertainment figure, Christall Kay is known all over Mzansi for her songs and starring in The Real Housewives of Johannesburg TV show. Beyond the screens, she is also an accomplished businessperson and an attorney. Her meteoric rise to fame has made her famous and a fan favourite.
Source: Instagram
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Christall Kay is one of the South African icons from The Real Housewives of Johannesburg (ROJ).
- She started her career in Law and practised for two years.
- She starred in ROJ for two seasons.
- Christall has currently returned to the franchise for the Ultimate Girls Trip, South Africa.
Christall Kay's profile summary
| Full name | Christall Kay |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | 21 April 1973 |
| Place of birth | Durban, South Africa |
| Zodiac sign | Taurus |
| Nationality | South Africa |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Height | 5 feet, 8 inches/172 cm |
| Weight | 125 pounds/57 kg |
| Hair colour | Blonde |
| Eye colour | Black |
| Occupation | Musician, Attorney and reality TV star |
| Marital status | Divorced |
Christall Kay's biography
Christall Kay wears many hats. She is a reality TV star, actor, businessperson, lawyer, model, singer and songwriter. Her latest venture is on the reality show The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip - South Africa.
What is Christall Kay's date of birth?
Kay was born on 21 April 1973. Her age is 52 years old as of 2025.
Source: Instagram
Early life
Christall was born and raised in Bluff, Durban. She grew up in a middle-class family and enjoyed simple days by the beach. In an interview with IOL, she said growing up in the region influenced her to pursue the lifestyle, glamour, and personality that define her now. Kay said,
The Bluff has a reputation for being rough and tough ... because of that I always wanted to be against what people thought was the norm of us. I mean Charlize Theron comes from Benoni and lots of great people from the Bluff.
She says that at 7, she rehearsed and prepared for her future singing career to the songs of world-famous artists such as The Village People, Dolly Parton, and Olivia Newton-John.
Source: Instagram
Education
The reality TV star attended Grosvenor Girls High School. According to her LinkedIn profile, she attained the following certificates and degrees from the listed higher education institutions:
- Certification in music and marketing from the University of Witwatersrand
- Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from the University of KwaZulu-Natal
- Bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Witwatersrand
- Studied image consulting at the South African Image Academy
Source: Instagram
Career
Some would describe Kay as a jack of all trades. She has multiple professions, from law to acting, singing, and entrepreneurship. Here is a breakdown of her career journey and achievements.
Career in law
The South African media personality began her career in the legal profession. She said the following regarding her initial decision to pursue a career in law:
I moved to Johannesburg when I was 25 and started my career. I love speaking and loved debating, so from that aspect I wanted to get into law, to argue someone’s case. But I did so thinking South African law was what we saw on American television shows.
For this reason, she quit being a lawyer after several years to pursue other avenues for exploring her creative side.
Music career
After wrapping up her studies, she went to New York and spent six months there connecting and working with some of the city’s local musical talents.
She returned to South Africa and joined the Afro-Pop band known as Seed as its lead singer. During this time, she was very active in the Johannesburg scene.
In February 2014, she released her first single Set Apart, receiving credit as its singer and songwriter. The song charted at No. 55 on the Billboard Airplay US charts and played on numerous radio stations across South Africa.
Speaking to The Citizen about her passion for music in August 2024, Christall said,
I really want to devote a lot more time to my music; it’s my main passion. I’m also hoping to get back to Los Angeles, where I was received extremely well. I received a Pop Artist of the Year award from an independent music organisation there a couple of years ago.
Kay's other singles include,
- Wonder (2018)
- Underwater (2020)
- Run Through The Fire (2021)
Christall has collaborated with top artists, including Jimmy Cozier, Hiroomi Tosaka, Crazyboy, M-Flo, BoA, and Buffalo Souljah.
Modelling career
The talented singer started modelling at 16. She reportedly used to sneak out of school to do photo shoots. Kay has graced the covers of many magazines and competed with Oscar Award-winning actress Charlize Theron in the Rooi Rose model search.
Source: Instagram
Acting career
The multitalented South African celebrity has starred in The Real Housewives of Johannesburg and The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: South Africa.
In 2018, she was named among the six original participants of the first season of the 1Magic docu-reality series, The Real Housewives of Johannesburg. She is one of two housewives with a main recurring role in its two seasons.
She was fired from The Real Housewives of Johannesburg after two seasons due to a fight with co-stars Brinnette Seopela and Gugu Khathi. Christall spoke about the situation later saying,
As most people know, I was beaten up on set... and yes, I had to think very deeply about returning, even though I did love the show...
These ladies didn't seem to like me very much; they ganged up against me, bullied me... I'm very confident and I'm a very happy-go-lucky person, but if you come for me you're going to see another side and you're probably going to get it back twice as bad.
The Real Housewives of Johannesburg halted productions for season three due to the incident.
In May 2024, Christall joined the cast of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip - South Africa. She was picked as one of the iconic Housewives from the franchises.
Source: Instagram
Entrepreneurship and real estate
Kay is also into the real estate business. She has a real estate agency in South Africa, offering services in several regions. She told The Citizen,
I’ve always had a passion for beautiful, exquisite properties. I started in the film location business, sourcing everything from rundown shacks to beautiful mansions for different scenes in movies. Now, I’m moving more into the mainstream real estate space, specifically luxury real estate.
Christall is also the CEO of Christall Inc. and owns a consulting and branding company, The Image Company. In January 2025, she launched her luxury perfume, Falling, in January 2025. In an interview with SNL24, she said.
Falling represents the many facets of love: falling into it, falling out of it, and the fear and beauty that come with these experiences. It's a deeply personal project that I've always dreamt of creating. This fragrance is fresh yet dramatic, a reflection of life's most heartfelt emotions.
Who is Christall Kay's husband?
The reality star is reportedly single. She was married to Eddie Kay for eight years before divorcing in May 2019. Speaking about their splitting up, she said,
We were best friends for a long time, so we decided to get married. We had a son together, but we were never romantic. I initiated the divorce because we just grew apart ...He now has a girlfriend and I am happy for him. We still talk to each other because we share a son.
Kay also revealed she was in love with a UK-born businessman residing in Johannesburg. In a YouTube interview with Liz Prince, Christall revealed she was 20 years older than her mysterious lover.
Who is Christall Kay's daughter?
The reality TV star does not have a daughter but a 12-year-old son with her ex-husband, Eddie. When speaking to Mum and Baby in 2024, she said motherhood is the greatest joy of her life,
Motherhood has been a great experience and I really treasure it. I was so big when I was pregnant! Luke was very sick when he was born, and it was a horrible time. My son is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I am grateful for the blessings of motherhood and the joy that my son brings to me every day.
Christall Kay Instagram
Her official Instagram account has approximately 22,800 followers. It is the best place to get her recent pics.
Christall Kay's net worth
There are no verifiable sources on the reality TV star's net worth. However, she recently got back her R8 million mansion after a two-year fight with a buyer. Her earnings from her music and the new Ultimate Girls Road Trip South Africa are considerable.
Why did Christall sell her house?
In 2021, Christall sold her house after a businessman paid a R5 million deposit. He was to pay the remaining R65,000 in monthly instalments. When he failed and could only raise R20,000 monthly, Christall moved to court to get her house back.
Why did Christall leave Real Housewives of Johannesburg?
She was fired after a fight with her fellow co-stars Brinnette Seopela and Gugu Khathi.
Christall Kay is an iconic figure from the Real Housewives of Johannesburg. She has entertained many who continue to follow her life closely. The actress returned to the Real Housewives with the Ultimate Girls Trip, South Africa in 2024 to continue entertaining her fans.
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Peris Walubengo (Lifestyle writer) Peris Walubengo is a content creator with 5 years of experience writing articles, researching, editing, and proofreading. She has a Bachelor of Commerce & IT from the University of Nairobi and joined Briefly.co.za in November 2019. The writer completed a Google News Initiate Course. She covers bios, marketing & finance, tech, fashion & beauty, recipes, movies & gaming reviews, culture & travel. You can email her at perisrodah254@gmail.com.
Sharon Boit (Lifestyle writer) Sharon J. Boit is a Lifestyle Writer at Legit Media Holdings, working on content optimization since October 2024. Sharon began her career as a researcher and project manager at the Center for Urban Research and Innovations, University of Nairobi, for 4 years. In 2019, she became a freelance SEO content writer, writing blog posts and articles on travel, pets, online sports betting, personal finance, lifestyle, radio news, and technology. You can reach Sharon J. Boit by email at boitjep@gmail.com.
