Three years of talent, ten exceptional finalists and one All Star title.

What began three years ago as a platform to discover and celebrate local singing talent reached a remarkable new milestone on 10 October, when Mimosa Mall hosted its first-ever Central Star All Stars Showdown.

More than 200 guests gathered in the mall’s main atrium for an evening filled with outstanding performances, fierce competition and heartfelt moments, as ten of the strongest voices to emerge from Central Star between 2023 and 2025 returned to the stage for one final battle.  And if the evening proved anything, it was just how far Central Star has come.

The All Stars edition brought together a new Top 10 selected from the competition’s standout performers over the past three years. With each finalist bringing their own style, stage presence and experience, the standard of competition was exceptionally high, leaving the judges with the difficult task of separating ten remarkable performers.

Renowned broadcaster and media personality Pulane Nel-Sekepe hosted the evening, while popular South African artist Brendan Peyper joined the judging panel and treated guests to a special live performance.  Ultimately, the spotlight belonged to the contestants.

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Beyond the performances themselves, the evening reflected just how far Central Star has evolved. From the atmosphere in the atrium to the audience’s enthusiastic response, the All Stars Showdown felt every bit the celebration of local talent it was intended to be. The calibre of the performers was matched by the quality of the production, creating an experience that extended well beyond the competition itself.

Following a closely contested showdown, Bloemfontein’s Helen Fourie, a third-year Speech-Language Pathology student currently studying in Pretoria, was crowned the inaugural 2026 Central Star All Stars champion.  Sixteen-year-old Aidan Prinsloo of Sentraal High School secured second place, while Sabrina Gregorini, a Grade 11 learner at Eunice High School, claimed third.

Helen received the grand prize of R50 000, while Aidan and Sabrina walked away with R10 000 and R5 000 respectively in Mimosa Mall gift vouchers.

The Top 3 finalists also shared additional prizes valued at more than R18 000, generously sponsored by 2Tone Records, Konkhe Kuhamba Kahle, vivo, Vodacom, HDL Jewellers and POLO.

The generosity extended beyond the winners, with every member of the Top 10 receiving a goodie bag valued at approximately R6 000. These included vouchers from Checkers, Clicks, Value Co and Pedros Flame Grilled Chicken, newly opened in Mimosa Mall’s food court, along with gift sets from Foschini, Lovisa and Elizabeth Arden.

For Helen, the victory carries a particularly meaningful reward.  When asked about her experience, Helen said:

“What a joy it was to spend the day with the other contestants and organisers, getting to know each other. I realised that sharing your gift and the joy of something you have been blessed to receive and steward all your life is so much more of a joy and blessing when you get to share it with others. Being able to experience it with family and friends who came to support, new friends made during the competition who also performed, the audience and the judges made it even more special. 

“I am incredibly grateful to God for blessing me with this experience and the prize money. It is very rare for a student to have money saved and growing somewhere to set them up for success in later years.

“I am overwhelmed by God’s goodness in continuing the work He started in me, and for the people, experiences, joy and peace that surpasses all understanding that He blessed me with through it all.”

Reflecting on the evening and the evolution of Central Star, Mimosa Mall General Manager Neelofar Issa said:

“When we started Central Star three years ago, we wanted to create a platform that gave local talent an opportunity to shine. I don’t think we quite imagined then what it would grow into.

“What struck me most about the All Stars evening wasn’t just the extraordinary standard of talent on stage, although that made the judging incredibly difficult. It was the entire experience. Looking out at an audience that was genuinely engaged, watching these performers command the stage, and seeing everything come together so beautifully was incredibly rewarding.”

“We’ve watched Central Star grow from a singing competition into something much bigger. The quality of the performances, the production, the atmosphere, the emotion — it all came together in a way that made us incredibly proud.  And I think that’s what made the evening so special. It wasn’t simply about putting on a show. It was about creating an experience worthy of the talent we have right here in our community. And I think we achieved exactly that.”

The inaugural All Stars Showdown marked a proud new chapter in the Central Star journey, celebrating not only the evening’s winners, but the remarkable talent, dedication and community spirit that have shaped the competition over the past three years.