We are at the top 5 stage of Idols SA and there isn’t a shadow of doubt that this is the most unpredictable season yet.
The first to show promise was 16-year old Loyiso who sang his heart out for the better part of the competition. He has a rich voice and maturity beyond his years, yet of late he he has been struggling.
Mmatema, the only female contestant remaining, has also been struggling a bit, but held her own throughout the season. The others are still coming up so they have their hits and misses.
Last week’s performance of the night had to be Siphelele’s attempt at The Soil’s Inkomo. The song demands several voices so the music director, RJ Benjamin, and the Idols SA band brought in extra voices and put on a performance that matched the original, making Siphelele look the best on the night.
Benjamin has been with the show for several years and has to be one of the most underrated people on the it. We rarely see him, unless he is commenting on how someone did the week prior or when they are having rehearsals. Even then, we only get a glimpse of what the man is capable of. In the last season, with his team of vocalists, Benjamin provided great vocals that were predominantly in Zulu. He sounded great and in his element.
Those who know his music are aware that RJ loves this sort of thing. His own music is heavy on the vocal gymnastics and harmonies so it was no surprise to see him get this Idols SA job. He has worked with the likes of Malie Kelly, Timothy Moloi, Alexis Faku and Thabo Mdluli who are all vocally gifted and have worked with Idols SA for years.
The contestants are still finding their feet and without RJ’s direction, they would reach the finals sounding like they did at the auditions. The music director gets the gist of what the South African and international music industries are like. This helps him direct the contestants in what they should sound like. We need to remember that Idols is not about copying and pasting songs, it is about interpreting them and RJ does that.
From now on, remember that every sound that you hear on this show comes from the ingenious mind of this man and his team. He is the one guy who can predict who is likely to win because he knows the contestants’ strengths and weaknesses as he works with them on a daily basis.
Look out for what he has in store this week as we approach the end of what has been a very dynamic season.
Idols SA, Sundays at 5.30pm on M-Net (DStv channel 101) and Mzansi Magic (channel 161). Also on DStv Catch Up.