Paxton Fielies opens up about the challenges that came with success.
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Winning a reality competition sounds like a dream come true.
The fame, the money and the prizes often look glamorous from the outside, but for singer Paxton Fielies, there was another side to the experience that many viewers never got to see.
The former "Idols SA" winner recently appeared on the "Plugged In Podcast dxb", where she reflected on the challenges of becoming an overnight success as a teenager.
Looking back, Fielies said the biggest lessons had very little to do with music.
"I had to learn a lot of difficult life lessons at a young age," she shared.
"One of them being that sometimes money doesn't change the people who have it, it changes the people around them."
At 17 years old, Fielies became the youngest winner in the show's history when she won season 13 back in 2017.
Along with the title, she walked away with more than R1 million in cash, a brand-new car, a recording contract and additional prizes including fashion vouchers and music equipment.
While viewers celebrated her victory, the young singer soon realised that fame and financial success came with challenges of their own.
"It was a different kind of reality. I was still young so I took everything at face and heart value but I had to quickly learn that what I pour into others I won't necessarily receive in return," she explained.
Her comments offer a glimpse into a side of reality television success that audiences do not always see.
Winning a major competition can instantly change a person's circumstances but it can also change the expectations of those around them.
For Fielies, one of the biggest lessons was learning how to protect her peace and establish boundaries.
She revealed that receiving such a significant amount of money at a young age forced her to think differently about relationships, responsibility and her future.
"My mindset completely changed, and that shift had to happen for me to adjust my new norm," she said.
Fielies also shared that many of the lessons came as a result of the prizes and opportunities that followed her "Idols SA" win.
While the rewards opened doors for her career, they also introduced her to realities that most teenagers never have to navigate.
Now 26, the singer looks back on her "Idols" journey as a period that brought both career opportunities and personal growth.