We have seen the Top 16 of Idols SA and while it is not the best of all time, it will make for a great season. Last week had a lot of ups and downs with regards to who made the cut and who didn’t. We now look at some of the Top 16 and see who of the crew we would like to see again.
Nonhle Mhlongo surprised us with a last- minute drop out from the competition and Ayanda Antony took her place. The replacement was really worth it because she had made part of the pair who were cut last in the previous episode so it was a happy ending for the viewers who had been hurt before. Thanks to that incident, Antony is always going to be the dark horse in the competition.
We also saw Bridgitt Leahy, an 18 year-old from Pietermaritzburg. The young singer surprised us with her amazing range. She’s definitely a top contender whom we need to look out for.
If you liked Zoe last season, then you will love Dineo Moseki who has an amazing vocal range. She has proved herself so far and all that is left is for her to pump up the energy.
Elwira Standili is our version of Jennifer Hudson. She has that big voice that will be great at any ballad. But here is the thing – Idols SA is not a ballads-only show. So she might crumble along the way.
Phila Madlingozi is a confusing one. He is the son of the legendary Ringo Madlingozi, but the apple did not fall far from the tree. His journey is full of hits and misses, but if we are only going to judge him on last Sunday, there is something there. He has the look, but this is not a modelling contest.
Siphele Ngcobo won fans over with his rendition of Loliwe. Gareth Cliff even called it a much better version than Zahara’s original. If we are to judge by Twitter’s response alone, then this man will go far. He is as good as Elvis Blue was when it came to renditions.
Then there is Mmatema Moreni who is really someone to look out for thanks to her epic performance on Sunday. Like Elwira, she sounds like she’s good at some types of songs (ballads), but we just hope, for her sake and the newfound fans, that she can do other genres of music as well.
Two boys who are making the girls go crazy are Loyiso Gijana and Lungisa Xhamela. The two not only know how to sing, but they know how to work the stage, which is equally important. They are certainly in the Top 5.
l IdolsSA, Sundays at 5.30pm on M-Net (DStv channel 101) and Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 161), and on DStv Catch Up.