AS WE draw the curtain on the end of another successful season of SA’s Got Talent, we look back at how well it has done. Its executive producer from the outset, Kee-Leen Irving, spoke to Tonight about the fifth season of the franchise.
“This is the third season of SA’s Got Talent on e.tv, but the fifth time we are doing this production in South Africa,” said Irving.
For her, several favourable elements have ensured that SA’s Got Talent has enjoyed another successful year.
“We have had a new time slot, which worked very well for us. We had phenomenal viewer feedback. In terms of contestants, I think this year the competition has been tight because we have had more voters than ever before.
“In the finale we have four vocalists and two dance acts. So this year is marked by the fact that we have a vocal- heavy finale, but it’s the first time that we have had an a capella act in the finale. Also, our youngest contestant is 14 and from the rural Northern Cape,” she said.
After shooting several seasons of the show, for Rapid Blue, it is intriguing that Irving is excited about this season and knows the remaining contestants very well.
“There is a girl called Tholwana who entered last year and did not make it through to the final, but she took the judges’ advice and went on to work on her craft. This year she has made it through to the finale and she blew us away last week.
“We have a group of three moms called Honey, who sing as well. They have a band and do their own compositions. So the top six each have memorable acts,” she said.
Each year, regardless of where the winner hails from, one thing has been a foregone conclusion, Cape Town always seems to have the top contenders.
“I think that trend is changing because Joburg has done so well this time around. We have a predominantly Joburg-based final line-up,” explained Irving.
SA’s Got Talent comes at a time when there is serious competition from other talent shows like The X-Factor, Idols SA and even Clash of the Choirs. This must have had an effect on how many people auditioned for SA’s Got Talent.
“We have had contestants who entered both The X-Factor and SA’s Got Talent and they are contestants who, I’m guessing, also entered Idols SA, but ultimately the contestant has to choose. They can’t go through both competitions after the theatre stage. If they had advanced to the semi-finalist stage yet also did well in another talent show, we need to bring them in and ask them to decide if they want to carry on with us or not. We do tell them that there is no guarantee to winning on SA’s Got Talent, but they can’t be attached to another show at that stage,” explained Irving.
“Idols SA is it’s 10th season and so as far as vocal acts go, it is inevitable that some contestants showcase their talents there, too,” she added.
• The finale will be broadcast live from 6.05pm to 7pm followed by the live results show from 7.30pm until 8pm. The finalists compete for R250 000.