South Africa Idols 16: Top 16 guys’ song choices & Theme
About the Show
Idols is a South African reality competition talent show based on the original UK format Pop Idol created by Simon Fuller and produced locally by Fremantle Media in association with M-Net Original Productions in which prospective singers around the country audition for the chance to win big prizes and the title of Idols winner.
The local version of the international smash hit Pop Idol features the same format as overseas, and at its heart a contest to determine the best young singer in South Africa.
As with other international versions, Idols is a singing talent competition that lets the audience decide on the winner. Hopefuls audition in front of three judges, but only a few are given a “Golden Ticket” to go to the next round, usually in Sun City.
After several rounds of Theatre Week, in which the judges whittle the Top 100 down in a series of singing tasks, a group usually a Top 10) is chosen to face the public vote in weekly eliminations.
Once the judges have whittled down the contestants to the finalists, it is up to the audience to phone in and choose who they want to survive to the next round after hearing them perform.
There are typically a number of prizes for the winner, but a big prize is a recording contract and their own CD release. There is also a “Wooden Mic” prize for the contestant deemed the worst singer each season.
Originally broadcast exclusively on M-Net, the show later began simulcasting on Mzansi Magic. In later seasons, a 24-hour dedicated channel was introduced on DStv which screens all of the auditions, including those of people who didn’t make the cut.
Idols also later aired on DStv’s On Demand service. DStv’s mobile users can watch Idols SA on their Drifta of Walka and DStv On Demand offers the shows for its PC users.
Auditions are typically open to South African citizens between the ages of 16 and 30, although the minimum age is sometimes 18. Auditions take place in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, with Soweto added in Season 7. They have also rotated to places like Bloemfontein and Polokwane.
South Africa was the third country to produce Idols, after the UK and Poland.
And the theme for the Top 16 Idols live shows is: The best covers of all time.
The guys sing first this Sunday (20 September) and the gals follow next week.
The show starts at 17h00 instead of 17h30 and as you probs know, there’s no live audience this season so contestants have to win all their votes through our TV screens.
This is their ammunition:
Brandon
Song: Dancing on my Own
Version (and original artist): Calum Scott (Robyn)
Ethan
Feeling Good
Michael Bublé (Nina Simone)
Jooma
Always and Forever
Luther Vandross (Heatwave)
Mr Music
All I Could Do Was Cry
Beyoncé (Etta James)
Qhawe
Try a Little Tenderness
Chris Brown (Otis Redding)
Succedor
Emotion
Destiny’s Child (Bee Gees)
Zahn-Reece
Superstar
Luther Vandross (Delaney & Bonnie)
ZanoThando
I Got a Woman
Elvis Presley (Ray Charles)
A vid. of them explaining their choices: