From Idols to heavenly crooners

Published Aug 20, 2014

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EVER wonder what happens to the contestants who enter national singing competitions, such as Idols SA, once the show is over?

It seems some of them fall off the radar, so it’s refreshing when you hear of these talented souls performing years later.

The latter is true for former Idols SA contestants Lendel Moonsamy and Crystalene Nair, who have branched into gospel music and will share the stage for a fundraising concert in Durban.

Tonight caught up with them to talk about their new endeavours and their thoughts on the current season of Idols SA, which airs on M-Net and Mzansi Magic on Sundays.

Nair, who was ranked in the Top 6 of Season 9, says the competition has opened many doors for her musically.

“If anything, I’ve gotten a lot of corporate gigs, people who have asked me to play at parties and churches, as well for the concerts they host. So it’s given me a lot of exposure. Since then, my confidence has increased.”

Shedding light on the current season of Idols SA, Nair says she finds it exciting.

“I like the twist in revealing the second set of contestants. I think the majority of the contestants are well deserving and some have been given a second chance to prove themselves in the next round. Kudos to the contestants that went through.”

The songstress, who is also a schoolteacher, tells me that music is a part of who she is.

“It can change a situation around you. If you are feeling different emotions, music can affect your feelings and we want something to uplift us so we turn to music. When we feel we miss someone, we play that music to remind us of the person.

“Music can also trigger our memories and things from the past. It plays such a big part of our lives, and we don’t realise how our lives are affected through music. We tend to learn the lyrics from certain songs. Music is the best thing I’ve gotten into. It makes me who I am.”

Moonsamy, who was on Season 5 of the show, says he is putting together a band and is involved in the music at Christian Revival Church in Durban.

“I work full time in the ministry now and I still do private gigs when hired. But I’m not actively involved in public gigs any more, it’s mostly in church and ministry.”

Moonsamy says the competition has boosted his career and provided a better platform for what he does in terms of recognition for his kind of music.

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