Forbes and Basadi celebrates Ferndale Ridge music manager
Ferndale Ridge resident Tholsi Pillay has earned top honours at the Forbes Woman Africa Awards and is now nominated for a Basadi in Music Award.
Local resident Tholsi Pillay is earning well-deserved praise for her work behind the scenes in South Africa’s music industry. From her home in Ferndale Ridge, Pillay was recently named Champion of Entertainment Promotion at the 2025 Forbes Woman Africa Awards, and she’s now a finalist for Artist Manager of the Year at the upcoming Basadi in Music Awards.
Best known for managing Grammy-winning flautist Wouter Kellerman, Pillay has helped take South African talent to international stages, including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Centre, and the FIFA World Cup closing ceremony. Her efforts have not only boosted Kellerman’s career; they have supported rising stars like the Ndlovu Youth Choir, who reached the finals of America’s Got Talent.
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She explained that the Forbes award isn’t just a personal win. “It recognises all of us working in the background,” she said, adding that a lot of creative work happens offstage and often goes unnoticed.
Pillay has lived in Ferndale Ridge for over a decade. “This suburb is my creative space. Randburg gives me the quiet I need to plan big moves while staying connected to Johannesburg’s fast pace.”
The Basadi in Music Awards will take place on August 2 at the Joburg Theatre. Pillay is nominated alongside other top managers, such as Hloni Mohlala and Phindile Matroshe.
As co-owner of Kellerman Music and a voting member of the Recording Academy (Grammys), Pillay continues to influence the industry. She has also co-produced projects featuring artists like Zakes Bantwini and Nomcebo Zikode, including one that earned Grammy recognition.
Looking ahead, Pillay hopes her recent honours will inspire more recognition for those working behind the curtain. “We don’t always get the spotlight, but that doesn’t mean we don’t make the magic happen.”
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