Idols South Africa Recap: Maybe The Guys Have A Chance?
Firstly, two hours for a live show where only eight contestants are due to take the stage is wholly unnecessary. Scrap the guest performances, scrap the unmistakably lip synced group performance, scrap all the lousy filler, and just let these eight girls perform for South Africa’s vote. Of course, that’ll never happen – way too much money to be made from advertising.
It was a largely forgettable night, bar a few strong performances. A new star emerged while a few others did predictably well, and others faltered with horrible song choices.
This week Justine joins in to grade the performances because two opinions are always better than one.
Let’s get on with it, shall we?
Valentine – Beyonce’s “Halo”
R: A very solid start to the night. Her lower register was on point, her tone is beautiful, and her upper register was strong too. It was a really strong performance, and she is bound to be in the Top 10. She’s got the goods. Somizi had a point, though – what would have pushed her performance into A territory for me would have been a more powerful onstage performance. B+
J: There seems to be a lot of hype surrounding Valentine. She delivered with a solid performance but I doubt it will be remembered in a week or two. She does have a very pleasant tone to her voice but I am not convinced that she is memorable enough to make it to the final stretch of the competition. B
Lucia – Adele’s “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)”
R: This was a completely wrong song selection for Lucia. This is not her strong suit, at all. Her gravelly tone is more geared towards soul and gospel, not pop. It was a mismatch that did nothing to make her stand out. It’s a shame. The final 30 seconds of the song was where her voice shone, but it wasn’t enough. C+
J: This was an absolute disaster. Terrible song choice for a girl who is best suited to Gospel music. The backing vocalists completely overpowered her and by the somewhat nervous expression on her face throughout the performance I think she knew it was a hot mess. C
Sgherdeed – Black Coffee and Monique Bingham’s “Deep in The Bottom (of Africa)"
R: Jeez, no, this was an ill advised song choice from the get go. Yes, it’s a great track – but not for Sgherdeed. The verses were under par and her performance seemed uncomfortable. It was brave, and the song choice might clinch her a spot in the Top 10, but I didn’t get it. Vocally, it was just off. C
J: Another horrific song choice. Unfortunately a good track does not make for a good performance. The poor girl flopped around like a fish out of water. She strained vocally. Before the show I thought she was a shoo-in for a spot in the top 10 – now, not so much. C
Luke – Janelle Monae’s “Yoga”
R: Luke tried to be a pop star like last season’s runner-up Mmatema, and unfortunately failed. It’s a good song, and too good for Luke. Her vocals didn’t hold up. She looked good, performed well, but that’s about it. The vocals never really hit the spot, Randall’s right. She’ll be very fortunate if she makes the Top 10. C-
J: Luke is a pretty girl and a natural performer. Sadly her vocals weren’t strong enough to pull off the song. I don’t think we will see her in the Top 10. C
Noma – Rihanna’s “Stay”
R: Finally! Noma ends the run of disastrous song selections and terrible vocals. This was a good vocal performance. Noma’s range is fantastic, and she got to show that during the last 30 seconds of the performance. She hit all the notes, alright. Was it a knockout? No, but the vocals brought it, if not the emotional connection. B+
J: Noma sang the hell out of the song and could prove to be a serious contender in the competition if she chooses her songs wisely. The only problem I have with her is that, when I close my eyes and listen to her, she could be any one of a thousand divas. B
Siyakha – Trademark and Zinhle’s “Valelisa”
R: A big up tempo dance track and a solid vocal performance? Yep, it can be done, Siyakha proved that. It was a good performance and her vocals managed to shine through it all. I thoroughly enjoyed it. She’s a potential star in my opinion. B+
J: This was probably my favorite performance of the night. Siyakha has tons of spunk and paired with solid vocals could see her posing a threat to the other contestants. A-
Amanda – Ariana Grande’s “Dangerous Woman”:
R: Amanda chose a song that won’t be widely known amongst Idols viewers and that might hurt her chances significantly, which would be sad. Vocally, it was fantastic. She dared to go big, and she rose to the occasion. I didn’t know Amanda had it in her. She gave us the vocals of a pop star to go with the looks of one – it’ll be a crime if she doesn’t make the Top 10. A-
J: I like the track but I am not convinced that it will do Amanda any favours with the viewers. She rendered a rock-solid performance and based on that should have a guaranteed spot in the Top 10. A
Nosihe – Beyonce’s “XO”
R: I like Nosihe, but this was a rather unconvincing performance. Her vocals just never reached the heights it should have. It showcased her weaknesses, vocally and performance wise. It fell flat. It wasn’t a disaster exactly, but it just wasn’t good. Utterly forgettable. C+
J: I find it hard to stomach two Beyonce songs on a good day and Nosihe’s lukewarm performance didn’t help my cause. This was not a great end to the show. C
R: Should go through – Amanda, Valentine, Noma, Siyakha, Lucia
J: Should go through – what he said
