There are no more comebacks for Comeback Kid Amanda Antony who was given the chop from Idols on Sunday night (18 October). Amanda, who was the fourth Top 10 contestant to leave the show, was eliminated after finding herself in the bottom two with 16-year-old Loyiso Gijana.
With the Top 10 whittled down to a Top 6, each contestant performed two numbers as part of the “90s vs Today” theme.
Here's what the judges had to say about each of them:
The first person to receive enough votes to survive to the Top 6 was Karabo. Born in 1991, Karabo went back to April 1995 for Boys II Men classic Water Runs Dry for his first performance. And from today’s tracklists he selected Hozier’s Someone New.
“You were heart-and-soul, knee-deep in that song,” Gareth Cliff said happily. An impressed Somizi Mhlongo said that Karabo was a songwriter’s dream and a producer’s dream and an arranger’s dream.
Unathi Msengana agreed with both of her colleagues and also commended Karabo on his professional breath control. “Your singing has improved tremendously during this competition,” Randall Abrahams noted approvingly.
You can vote for Karabo:
- by SMSing his voting number
02 to 37400 (SMS's are charged at R1.50/SMS, limited to 100 votes per cellphone number).
- via USSD by dialing *120*33033# (Calls are charged at R1,50 per minute, limited to 200 votes per cellphone number).
- via WeChat (for free) (100 times per cellphone number).
- the official mobile site or
Idols SA website (also free and 100 times per cellphone number for each valid voting period).
Next up was
Dineo
, a 1993 baby who chose Lauryn Hill’s Ex-Factor from December 1998 as her 90s song. And her current hit choice was local outfit Beatenberg’s Rafael.
Gareth noted how much better Dineo sounds when she tackles something upbeat like her second song. “Last week your spaceship crashed and you were the only survivor found!” Somizi joked. “You survived,” he said encouragingly.
Unathi commented that she loved Dineo’s interpretation of the Lauryn Hill song, but it didn’t sound like Randall was impressed - “I have a funny feeling the boys are going to take the second round as well,” he commented.
You can vote for Dineo:
- by SMSing her voting number
05 to 37400 or via the other options previously listed.
Rhema was born in 1994 and his 90s hit from February 1995 was Radiohead’s High And Dry. His selection from the 2015 charts was One Republic’s Counting Stars.
Gareth noted that Rhema has a unique sound and advised him to make that his distinctive standout quality. “When Jesus says ‘yes’, no Randall can say ‘no’!” Somizi cracked. “Hallelujah!” Unathi concurred.
And Randall was happy not only about Rhema’s improvement as a singer, but also with the talent that he displayed on multiple instruments tonight. He just expressed a wish that Rhema would also increase in confidence, like Karabo and Loyiso had done.
You can vote for Rhema:
- by SMSing his voting number
06 to 37400 or via the other options previously listed.
Siphelele, who was born in 1991, selected the All 4 One hit I Can Love You Like That from June 1995. And for his second round song Siphelele stuck with a vernac choice as always, Nathi’s “Nomvula”, which earned him a standing ovation from Unathi and Somizi.
“I was blown away,” Gareth admitted. “Your voice is anointed!” Somizi raved. “Even if you don’t speak English or sing English, stick to where your heart and soul is, you will never be hungry,” he advised.
Unathi thought Siphelele “destroyed” with the second performance, and Randall seemed dumbstruck. “Just a few weeks ago it looked like you were going home,” he spluttered. “In my time on
Idols I’ve never seen such a comeback ...”
You can vote for Siphelele:
- by SMSing his voting number
04 to 37400 or via the other options previously listed.
Mmatema
was born in 1992 but her 90s hit was from September 1998: Deborah Cox’s Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here. And from the current world charts Mmatema chose Jess Glynne’s hit Hold My Hand.
”It’s almost as if you’ve been performing all your life. You just don’t put a foot wrong,” Gareth marveled. But he requested that she tackle something “risky” next week. Somizi admitted that he didn’t know the song, “but you made me love it!” he raved.
Unathi was not thrilled with Mmatema’s first song, “but then you came back and said ‘this is I ... this is how it will be done ...’” she noted happily. And Randall thought he couldn’t add anything to that feedback. “I’m just going to say it was great to hear you do a pop song,” he smiled.
You can vote for Mmatema:
- by SMSing his voting number
10 to 37400 or via the other options previously listed.
Loyiso was born in 1999 and his 90s song, from August 1991, was the Boyz II Men hit It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday.
Halfway through the show Gareth Cliff, Somizi Mhlongo, and Unathi Msengana thought that Loyiso had delivered the best performances of the first round, and Randall Abrahams agreed that all four of the guys had given sterling performances.
And for his 2015 hit at the end of the second round Loyiso chose Hold Back The River by James Bay. “You see, you’re not afraid at all to take risky songs and make them work,” Gareth said happily.
“I don’t know how to fault you,” said Somizi. He noted that Loyiso could give Usher and Chris Brown a run for their money.
Unathi commented on the passion in Loyiso’s performance, “and the passion you will feel in the voting,” she smiled. “We so easily forget how young you are,” said Randall. But he warned that from next week it’s anybody’s competition to win or to lose.
You can vote for Loyiso:
- by SMSing his voting number
09 to 37400 or via the other options previously listed.
Voting for the Top 6 opened during the course of the live show and closes at 22h00 on Tuesday, 20 October.
The results will be announced during the live show next Sunday (25 October).