Idols winner “Berry” flew quietly into Cape Town on Wednesday morning and spent a few blissful hours with her family before stepping back into the limelight.
After four months away from her husband and four children, Berenike Trytsman, 31, took an early morning flight to Cape Town from Joburg and surprised her son Deyn when she picked him up from school.
The Bothasig mom scooped the Idols SA Season 17 title on Sunday night and won a whopping R1 million, a new car and tons of other prizes.
Speaking to Daily Voice at home while playing with her oulike two-year-old daughter Rachel, Berry said unlike previous Cape winners, she will not be moving to Jozi for her career but will be based in Cape Town.
“My family is my life, I can’t live without my kids and husband. The first thing I did was hug them and cry ugly when I got home,” she laughed.
A delighted Deyn, who was very emotional on Sunday after his mom’s win, could hardly contain himself when he saw her at school.
“I also kinda had to hide from people when I went to fetch him because I didn’t want to attract attention before he got to me,” Berry said shyly.
Previously the singer said one of her biggest dreams was buying her family a home of their own. They currently live in a one-bedroom flat in her mom’s backyard.
Proud mom Rialette Segal, 62, went to haal uit Berry’s baby photos to show that she was musically inclined even as a toddler playing the piano.
“The same Berenike you see on stage is the same girl at home. She is my baby.
“She got her love for music from me. I was an opera singer when I was younger,” said Rialette.
Berry’s husband Renier Trytsman, 36, says he is just happy to have his wife home.
“I’m really proud of Berenike for what she achieved. She worked really hard to get here. For four months I was a single father,” he joked.
“When we lost our jobs six months into the Covid pandemic, we hit a low but the best thing we did was to pray, and God came through for us.”
Dressed casually in a T-shirt, jeans and sloffies, Berry says if there is a booking away from home, she’s taking her baby and her husband with her.
“I will travel with my baby and hubby because she is still too small. Four months was bad already.
“I don’t have any appearances booked yet, but hopefully by next week, I will make a plan to get out to the fans to thank everyone for the support,” she added.