Fashioning Modern Africanism

In the most brutal day of theatre week history, 66 Idols SA contestants saw their journey to stardom cut short on day one as the judges picked the best from the good. The open audition for season 17 had seen more than 100 Idols hopefuls make it to theatre week, but the jubilation was short-lived as the pressure took its toll on the contestants. Judges Randall Abrahams, Somizi Mhlongo and Unathi Nkayi made it clear that lukewarm performances were not going be tolerated. Day one of theatre week comprised of chorus line auditions accompanied by a pianist, with the Idols hopefuls divided according to the song they had selected. The audition songs included Kelly Khumalo’s  ‘Uthando’  and Amanda Black’s  ‘Separate’ . “Too many people forgot their lyrics and the arrangement of the song,” said Unathi, reflecting on day one of theatre week’s performances. Randall was equally disappointed. He said, “One song, that is all everyone had to learn and yet so many of them failed. If you fail at that,

The fourth and final day of the judges auditions for season 17 of Idols SA brought with it another day of impressive auditions, peppered with a good dose of humour, tears and nerves.  This means 33 more auditionees from the final day join 75 others as they advance to theatre week, bringing the total number of golden tickets to 108. Joining Randall Abrahams, Unathi Nkayi and Somizi Mhlongo as a guest judge was Zwai Bala. The award-winning singer, producer and director started his day by heading to the piano to give his fellow judges an impromptu, albeit brief performance.   The real fun began with the first audition of the day. While 30-year-old Sizakele “Mr Siza” from Mthatha performed a rendition of Margaret Singana’s  ‘Mama Tembu’s Wedding’  to give judges an upbeat start to the day, his journey to fame ended before it could even start as he couldn’t clinch the coveted golden ticket to theatre week.   Read about tears of joy and balloons on stage as idols hopefuls audition for a spot

Day three of auditions for SA Idols season 17 brought yet another week of tears of joy and disappointment. In addition, there were plenty of laughs and birthday balloons on stage as the judges sifted the good from the bad, paving the way for dreams of stardom to come true. This week’s guest judge was one of South Africa’s greatest talents, Ringo Madlingozi. He took a day off from the world of politics and Parliament to help select the best singing talent South Africa has to offer. For Randall Abrahams, Somizi Mhlongo and Unathi Nkayi, the day brought with it some pleasant surprises as they – assisted by Ringo –  dished out 24 golden tickets. The day may have started with a no as 22-year-old Karabo Mogola from Pretoria failed to make the cut. However, there were plenty of golden tickets, with several Idols hopefuls managing to secure a full house of nods. Twenty-two-year-old Katiso “Kat” from Johannesburg rolled in with his roller skates and falsetto to clinch the first golden ticket of

Zwai Legendary Kwaito artist, producer and musical director Zwai Bala and renowned singer, producer and Member of Parliament Ringo Madlingozi are among the guest judges as the popular talent search show   Idols SA   returns for its 17 th   season this Sunday. Ringo The much anticipated return of the IdolsSA, which attracted a record 15 000 online entrants, will heat up viewers’ living room this winter as  Idols SA  hopefuls belt it out to impress the guest judges as well as the show’s resident judges. Reality TV star, musician and choreographer Somizi Mhlongo, musician, radio and TV personalities Unathi Nkayi and Randall Abrahams, Rapper, radio and TV personality and the show’s co-executive producer Proverb also returns as the show’s host. Idols SA  will start with the airing of all online auditions on Mzansi Magic (DStv channel 161) this Sunday, 11 July 2021 at 17:30. Somizi “We are excited that South Africa’s most-loved talent search show ,  Idols SA ,  returns this Sunday to enterta