SO THE first thing related to Idols that we can’t ignore is the departure of Gareth Cliff from the show. The controversial judge had been with the programme a little after it started and ?he subsequently grew as a presenter with it.
Unlike Randall Abrahams, who we come to expect to be the villain, the same can’t be said about Cliff. He displayed serious head-scratching moments at times and then, the next second, seemed to be the sweetest guy. That unpredictability will be missed.
At least he got to to New York with the the remaining contestants last week. Not that he can’t afford it, but it was a fitting farewell gift. And now, to the business of the day. Idols has chosen its Top 3, thanks to Terra having left on Sunday.
If we are going to be honest, his departure was long overdue after a series of misses over the past few weeks. On a good day, no one could touch him vocally as he was technically on point and crisp in his delivery and could sing just about anything. However, when his voice broke, it was unclear whether it was because of sickness or fatigue – but this meant that all was lost. He is probably one of those people who Abrahams referred to as ones who peak too early and, when it comes to crunch time, they crumble and fall.
READ: #IdolsSA: The end for Terra, then there were 3
Now the Top 3 features Noma, Tebogo and Thami, and from that group, a winner will be selected. Today we will discuss why each of them deserves to walk away with the crown and, perhaps, venture a guess as to who will actually walk away with it.
After Liverpool FC’s great start to a football season and Donald Trump’s presidential win, 2016 is looking like a year for upsets. If that is the case, then Noma should take the victory. This is despite the fact that she has that tortoise-type personality that sees her hiding in her shell most of the time, only coming alive when she is on stage. This might put off some people from rooting for her, but it actually goes a long way to reveal just how professional she is. Noma is here to sing, not clown around – and sing she certainly does. She has sung big songs from great vocalists such as Beyonce and managed to land a spot in the Top 3.
She stands the chance to be the first black woman to win – a tag that was on Mmatema’s shoulders last year before she lost to Karabo. However, this should not be a factor because it gets us to focus on the wrong thing. If Noma wins, it should because she is really, really good. Period. Tebogo is another closet extrovert. I say this because, after interviewing him over lunch recently, this reporter discovered a bubbly side to him that most people didn’t know existed.
He did say that there wasn’t enough time on the show to reveal his fun side and he would actually rather be known for singing. He has tackled just about every genre there is and still aced each song. As the only singer in the competition who plays an instrument, Tebogo is looking as if he is going to take this award home with him.
Well, that’s if Thami decides not to show up, that is. This man is the local girls’ answer to Chris Brown, so all he has to do is just stand there. We have been covering Idols SA since it’s inception and there has never been a tighter competition. Unathi, one of the judges in the competition, is right. This year we need a Top 3 in the finale. It’s that good.
Idols SA airs every Sunday at 5pm on Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 161).