22-year-old Dineo Moseki from Vryburg in the Nothwest lost her claim to the Idols title on Sunday night when she was eliminated from the competition, leaving behind the Final Five who performed dual musical themes.
In the first round they had to demonstrate how the season's Wooden Mic contenders
should have sung their audition songs and in the second round they each performed a song suggested for them by Idols fans.
Here's what the judges had to say about their performances:
Rhema
performed Bruno Mars’s Billionaire, which was originally annihilated by Wooden Mic contender Gavin Msiza in the auditions. In his second round he tackled the Percy Sledge classic When a Man Loves a Woman for Idols fan Thuly Zondo.
“You sang your heart out, man,” Gareth said approvingly. He wasn’t sure if a Percy Sledge classic was a great song choice, “but you sang it as well as anyone could have sung it,” he said.
“I cannot fault you,” said Somizi. “You nailed it.” Unathi thought both of Rhema’s song choices were “spot-on”, and she commended Rhema on performing both songs with equal conviction. But Randall was not convinced by the Zahara song in the first round. “I think next week is going to be tough for you,” he told Rhema.
You can vote for Rhema:
- by SMSing his voting number
06 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).
Karabo performed Alicia Keys’s I Keep On Falling, which was massacred by Nofesane Bushula in the Season 11 auditions. And his fan favourite number was Ringo Madlingozi’s Ekuseni, suggested by Nqoh.
“That was really good, man, it was smooth, it was effortless,” Gareth said approvingly. Somizi said that just as he was beginning to think that Siphelele was starting to sound the same every week, “this week you proved me wrong”.
Unathi thought both song selections were very good for Karabo because he demonstrated his versatility. Randall noted that Karabo seemed to be peaking at the right time, and he commended him on staying focused and for working so hard at this stage of the competition. “And it’s refreshing after so many years on this competition to see that it hadn’t gone to your head,” he pointed out.
You can vote for Karabo:
- by SMSing his voting number
02 to 37400 or via the other options previously listed.
Mmatema demonstrated a proper interpretation of Mary Mary’s Gospel classic I Can’t Give Up Now, which was attempted by Ziyanda Stefane during the auditions phase. And Idols fan Tintswalo Faith’s choice of Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You was her second round number.
“You’re singing one of the most well known songs in the world and you sang it beautifully. You’re a princess,” Gareth said. “I’m out of words,” said Somizi. “But you must know inside I’m jumping up and down, and I’m emotional.”
“I’ve secretly been waiting for this day,” Unathi admitted, “and you blew it out of the water.” Randall pointed out that at this stage of the competition the contestants have to choose memorable “finalé songs”, and she was the first contestant so far to have done that.
You can vote for Mmatema:
- by SMSing his voting number
10 to 37400 or via the other options previously listed.
Loyiso
showed Wooden Mic contender Nonelela Bashe how Zahara’s Ndiza should have be done, and Idols fan Thimna Nobebe suggested Bob Marley’s One Love for his second round.
Gareth noted that Loyiso has managed to impress in virtually every genre of music so far across the competition. “I think this country is falling in love with you,” he said. But Somizi didn’t think that Loyiso gave as much as this song demanded.
“Keep pushing yourself,” Unathi agreed. And Randall reiterated that at this stage the contestants need to deliver memorable performances that will sustain them over the next couple of weeks to the finalé. And he didn’t think this was this kind of performance.
You can vote for Loyiso:
- by SMSing his voting number
09 to 37400 or via the other options previously listed.
Siphelele
rehabilitated John Legend’s So High after Palesa Khutsoane’s assassination attempt on it in the auditions, and his second round song was The Soil’s Inkomo, suggested for him by an idols fan who goes by the handle Unathi-4-life.
“Relaxed, charming ... it was such a nice energy, man,” Gareth said approvingly. “What an amazing way to close the show!” Somizi exclaimed.
“You stole the show in the first half, then you come and destroyed the competition in the second half,” Unathi commented, and Randall commended him on always choosing South African songs. “But people don’t only vote on songs choices, they choose on personality,” he pointed out.
You can vote for Siphelele:
- by SMSing his voting number
04 to 37400 or via the other options previously listed.
Voting for the Top 5 opened during the course of the live broadcast and will close at 22h00 on Tuesday, 27 October.