Press Release
Time’s up for Bubbles as X Factor SA’s top four is revealed
Things went right down to the wire in the race for R750 000 in prizes and pop superstardom on Saturday night, when Bubbles bowed out of The X Factor South Africa and the top four acts advanced to the next round.
The five acts heading into the high-stakes live quarter-finals on Saturday were the groups Four and Iziqhaza (under Oskido’s mentorship), the over-24s Eliezer and Wandaboy (under Zonke’s wing), and Bubbles – who was Arno Carstens’ only remaining contestant left in the competition as well as the last female solo singer standing.
Again, they faced a tall order: this time, they had to perform iconic songs with inspirational lyrics. Four kicked off proceedings, pouring heart and soul into Christina Aguilera’s Beautiful, with Bubbles lending her powerful voice to Brave by Sara Bareilles.
Then it was the turn of Eliezer to feel irie with Bob Marley’s Redemption Song, and for Iziqhaza to step out of their comfort zone and tackle I’ll Be There by The Parlotones.
The evening took a reflective turn in commemoration of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence when Wandaboy sang an impassioned rendition of the Babyface track How Come, How Long, a poignant chronicle of brutal domestic abuse.
Viewers were then treated to an unexpected bonus: a collaborative performance between Eliezer and Four, singing Where is the Love? by Black Eyed Peas, and Bubbles, Iziqhaza and Wandaboy banding together to perform Michael Jackson’s Will You Be There?
While everyone was left moved and inspired by the contestants’ soulful performances, followed by a rousing guest appearance by “Mr Ghetto”, Zakes Bantwini, it was tempered by the knowledge that the journey would soon be over for one more X Factor South Africa act.
Viewers voted feverishly to keep their favourites out of the firing line, resulting in Bubbles and Iziqhaza landing in the bottom two. These two acts were placed in the unenviable position of having to sing for their lives to convince the judges to keep them in the running – and sadly, it ended up being the turn of Bubbles to bid farewell to the competition.
Next week it’s the turn of the awesome foursome – the top four acts – to give it their all in a bid to become South Africa’s next singing superstar. The bar is getting higher every week and the competition ever stiffer, as we count down to the final live gala show on 13 December 2014.
Until then, make a date with your couch, your remote control and your cellphone (to SMS through your votes and stand a chance of winning a Smart Tab 3G from Vodacom) and settle down for the next thrilling installment of The X Factor SA on SABC1 next Saturday, 6 December 2014, at 18:00, followed by the results show at 19:30. Plus, exclusive bonus footage can be seen during The XtraFactor on SABC3 on Fridays at 19:30.