Johannesburg - It slowly sinking in for 19-year-old Zama Khumalo that she is, in fact, the winner of Idols SA.
She could almost call it a full circle moment after first auditioning for the show three years ago when she was aged 16 to now being crowned the voice of all voices on the 16th season of the Mzansi Magic show.
“I’m going to be honest,” she says taking a deep breath during a telephonic conversation with her, adding: “I didn’t want to enter Idols this year because I tried in 2017. I didn’t make it to the TV auditions and I said to myself I did not want to get hurt again.”
It was the words of a friend that urged her to try just one more time.
“He said I have nothing to lose and I am so glad that he was able to convince me.”
She was in Grade 6 when she first knew she could sing.
A friend commented on her voice, calling it beautiful. “I started noticing it and I fell in love with music and started singing all the time.”
The Idols journey catapults all the contestants into a short-lived instant stardom, something not all of them can handle so quickly. Khumalo also experienced that initial shock.
“It was hard … it has been hectic. I was definitely shaken a few times and I don’t know if I can say I am really ready but I have an idea of what the industry is going to be like.”
Monday was her first morning waking up as an idol, joining the likes of Yanga Sobetwa, Musa Sukwene, Khaya Mthethwa and Paxton Fielies.
“The first thing I thought about in the morning was the night before.
“I was trying to understand whether it really happened.
“I thought I would wake up and it would be a dream. But I realised it was really happening.”
Her heart was beating out of her chest on Sunday during the live finale of the singing competition. So much so that she kept putting her hand on her chest to try calm it down.
“I was holding onto myself and in my mind I kept saying, ‘Zama do not faint in front of people.’”
Khumalo’s new title comes with more than R1.5 million in prizes including a brand new car from Toyota. As she takes it all in and waits for the buzz to quieten down, her focus next year will be on releasing an album under the gifted team at her recording stable, Kalawa Jazmee.
“I also want to go to school to study music. I feel like I still have a lot to learn, so I am going to start there,” said the Witbank-born star.
Before Idols, Khumalo was in the middle of her gap year, confused about what she was going to do next year. Now she is well on her way to joining Idols alumni Shekhinah, Mmatema Moremi and Amanda Black as another strong voice to come out of the reality competition.
Her debut single about perfect timing.
“When the time is right, God will remember you, call you and will never forget you. I feel like the song was written just for me. It's like they were in my head, read my mind and wrote about my life.”
While the pandemic and regulations have prevented productions from having more than a limited amount of people in attendance, the celebration from her support system replaced the empty chairs that could not be filled.
“Their reaction was priceless. We didn’t even have much of a conversation. I just hugged my mom and I cried.
“The only thing my dad said to me was, ‘I told you, when something is yours, it is yours.’ He really did say that I’d win earlier in the competition but I didn’t believe him. So it was a priceless moment for us after the finale.”
Khumalo has set a goal that keeps the talent pool of hits in the Idols family. “I can’t stop thinking about doing a collaboration with Amanda Black.
“I would love to sing just one song with her.” She’s adamant about not being cornered into a specific genre, wanting to try a little bit of everything to find her musical place and some relatability.
For now though, her main aim is to get out of her comfort zone.
“I am slowly getting there. I am asking South Africa to have patience with me. Before I came to Idols I didn’t even think I could sing in front of the judges but I overcame that. I hope South Africa will be able to receive me and support me throughout my learning process and everything else that is going to come my way,” she said.
The Star