T

HEYwouldhavecelebrat-
eda decadeofmarriage
thismonth.Butinstead,
daysshyofthemilestone,
theirpartnershipcameto
a shockingend.
FornineyearsLiraand
hermanagerhusband
RobinKohlseemedtoliveinperfecthar-

mony.Therecordlabelbosshelpedthe
velvet-voicedsingerproducehitafterhit,
proudlywatchedherperformforformer
AmericanpresidentBarackObamaand

wasfirmlyinhercornerwhenshewas
a judgeonTheVoiceSA.
Nowshe’smakingnewmemoriesas

a singlewoman.
Lira(40)announcedherseparation
from Robina fewdaysbeforewhat
wouldhavebeenthecouple’s10thanni-

versary.Shedoesn’twanttogointothe
detailsofwhatcausedthesplit,but
she’stakingthingsinherstride.
“Itis well,”shetellsus.“I generallytake

whatevercomesmywayandI flowwith
it.That’showI’mhandlingeverything
rightnow.I’vejustbeenremindedthat

lifeisn’t alwaysbeautiful,andI am
embracingit all.”
TheRiseAgainsingerhasalwaysbeen
guardedaboutherpersonallifebutshe’s

welcomingthewindsofchange,shetells
DRUM.“I feelgoodaboutthechoicesI’ve
made.I’mveryproudofbeingbravein
allowingchangetohappentomylife.

“Nothinghappenstome,everything
happensforme,tomakemea better
person.

“It’s not easy,buthavingMattelhonour
mewithmyveryownBarbiedollhas

A TIME

OF RENEWAL

Singer Lira, who’s been honoured with a

Barbie doll in her likeness, opens up about how

she’s coping with separating from her husband

BY QHAMA DAYILE PICTURES: SHARON SERETLO

Barbie manufacturer Mattel

recently released a doll

modelled on Lira as part

of its Shero campaign.

NEWS