Tumisho Masha Reveals Music Was His First Love Before Acting After Masked Singer SA Run
- Tumisho Masha was unmasked as Leopard on Masked Singer South Africa after keeping the detective panel guessing for weeks
- The SAFTA-winning actor revealed that music was his original passion long before he pursued an acting career
- Masha opened up about why he could not enter music school and the pivotal choice that changed the direction of his life in an exclusive interview with Briefly News
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Source: UGC
SAFTA-winning actor and television presenter Tumisho Masha has finally broken his silence about his time as Leopard on The Masked Singer South Africa, and the revelation that caught fans off guard was not about the competition at all. It was about the career he almost had instead of acting.
Speaking exclusively to Briefly News following the show's quarter-final, Masha shared that performing musically was one of his earliest and deepest passions, a side of himself that most audiences had never seen before stepping onto The Masked Singer SA stage.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
From piano keys to acting school
Masha explained that from childhood, he studied piano and genuinely believed his future lay in music rather than in front of a camera. He played in a band during his high school years and entered university with music still firmly in mind. However, his theory knowledge was not strong enough to earn him a place in music school, leaving him at a crossroads.
"I decided to go into acting, which I love just as much. It was a hard choice, but I chose it, and I did everything that I could to be as good as I could at it. I'm not looking back," he said.
He admitted feeling genuinely humbled that audiences embraced his singing performances as Leopard, calling it a rare and meaningful opportunity to show a part of himself that his career had never publicly allowed.
Fooling the detective panel
The official detective panel, made up of J'Something, Sithelo, Somizi and Skhumba Hhlope, spent weeks trying to crack the identity behind the Leopard costume. Masha confessed that watching them struggle was one of the highlights of the whole experience.
"I can't blame them. I think they did a good job because there are so many amazing celebrities in South Africa who are so good at what they do, and for you to just guess one, just guess one, is not easy," he said.
He also opened up about the recurring mirror clue that appeared throughout his run as Leopard, saying it carried genuine personal meaning. For Masha, the mirror symbolised self-reflection and the idea that real change begins within rather than by looking to others or waiting for circumstances to shift.
On what the journey ultimately taught him, Masha did not shy away from directness.
"I am a persistent and resilient human being. And what it's taught me about the industry is that in a room full of noes, all you need is one yes to enter the chat," he said.
He credited the producers, cast and crew for making the experience unforgettable, adding that it was never something he could have pulled off alone.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
