Will Derae be the one?

ASPIRING media mogul and Escombe resident, Derae Rai, made top six in the reality show competition She’s the One. The show, in its second season, is aimed at empowering women and finding the next big thing in the South African media industry by providing a platform for young women to create their own personal brand and launch their careers in the industry.

Rai said her entry was a spontaneous choice, however, she is glad she took the chance. “I heard about the competition through the grapevine and it was a spur of the moment decision to enter. The preliminary auditions were held across the country and on social media. Out of thousands of hopefuls, the top 50 were chosen and flown up to Johannesburg to meet the judges,” she recalled.

Rai managed to get through a grueling audition by standing out from the crowd through staying true to her self. She said the series of events that followed were a big rush. “I got the call a day or so after auditioning. Everything happened so fast. We had to prepare a 30 second audition for the judges and I made it through the process by staying level headed and having confidence in my individuality,” she explained.

The 22-year-old artist, writer and gym owner debunked the misconception about the show being a talent contest or beauty pageant, saying it is more about testing how ambitious women react in highly competitive situations. “Each week, we do challenges to test our capabilities and I’ve been pushed out of my comfort zone completely. Our road trip to Sun City was amazing and the show has given me many opportunities to grow and become a stronger person. My favourite challenge so far was the photo challenge where we worked with the dynamic Lee Anne Liebenberg on set at the beautiful Sheperd’s Tree Game Lodge,” Rai said.

The BA in Corporate Communications graduate has a passion for the environment, helping and motivating people and contributing to social outreach projects. “If I won, it would help me to boost my career but also provide a platform to engage with my community and give back. It is important that we have to be the change we want to see in the world. She’s the One has been such an amazing experience and every week is a surprise and an adventure. Win or lose this a platform where it is up to you to make the best of the experience. I am extremely blessed to have been a part of season two. The competition is an emotional roller coaster and each week we test our fears, we address our weaknesses and question our strengths…at the end of the day the competition has challenged me to grow and adapt. It is an experience of a lifetime and I’m so happy to be a part of it,” she said.

Rai and the other five contestants are competing for the grand prize of RImillion worth of prizes including being the face of Edgars. She’s the One airs every Tuesday at 8.30pm on eTV.