All Good Things...

From the moment I wrote my first blog entry back in August, Idols has become a significant part of my life - especially after I started going to the shows. It all seems so long ago, and yet, it seems to have gone by so quickly. This blog has been, for the most part, strictly Idols-oriented, but I hope you'll forgive me as I reflect a little bit more personally.

First, though, a heartfelt congratulations to Karin. I'll be perfectly honest: I was secretly hoping Gift would win, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that there was one major reason: the drama. After months of it growing steadily more clear that Karin was going to win this thing, I found myself hoping for a surprise finale. However, Karin does indeed deserve the title, and she has worked long and hard at making her dream a reality. So long as she lives up to the Idols name, and doesn't fade back into relative obscurity, I have no complaints. Throughout the competition, she has grown stronger, more confident and more beautiful, but at the core, she has remained the same person she was when I first met her.

At last night's press conference, Gift was asked the perennial question: "What next?" Characteristically charming and witty, he asked whether anyone had any shades, because "the future is looking so bright." Indeed it is. It will take some dedication and hard work on his part, but if there's one thing Gift has proven in this competition, it's that he is no stranger to rising to the challenge. Even Randall, who continually predicted that the boys would get a sound beating from the girls, had to acknowledge Gift's perserverance and hard work.

One quick note before I get into the rest of this entry: What on Earth was the deal with Anke? From what I hear, she was sick, but wow, she was... astonishingly dismal last night. I wasn't here for the first two seasons of Idols, but I have to tell you, when I watched Anke perform, I couldn't help thinking "If she won, how bad was everyone else?" In a word: shocking. Heinz did a far sight better, but his little jumpy moves remind me of CrissCross, the kiddie duo from the 80s. (Please tell me I'm not the only one who remembers CrissCross!) However, the star quality was a lot more apparent in him, and it was easy to see how he won the very first SA Idols crown.

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Music is one of my strongest passions. A day without music is a dark day for me, and if my mood ever begins to falter, the surest remedy is turning on some great tunes and losing myself in the rhythm. This love of music was what first made me look at Idols - I wanted to watch a star unfold before my eyes, and witness the birth of a fresh, new artist. The only thing more important to me than music is my writing. And so, when this season began, I saw the perfect opportunity to combine my two great loves together, and so the blog was born.

But even above those two things, the best part of this experience has been the people. Having only moved to SA in May, before Idols began I knew about 4 people in this country. Through Idols, I've met countless people, many of whom I really hope to remain friends with even now that it's all over. So many people have helped me, moved me, and inspired me that I will always have a very special place in my heart for this particular season of Idols. While I am grateful to absolutely everyone I've worked with throughout the season, here's a list of special thank yous:

Greg: For opening the doors to this amazing opportunity, and turning it from an idle (Idol?) hobby into the beginning of entirely new direction for my future.

The MNet PR Team: For never treating me like I was "just a blogger" and giving me the same respect and opportunities as all the regular members of the press.

The Vissers: For being exactly who you are, and giving me the chance to share your family's joys and sorrows throughout this experience, and treating me like a friend instead of just another member of the media.

The Lalouettes: For welcoming me with open arms, despite my often negative comments each week.

David: Nhlanhla's not the only one who will miss "5, 4, 3... YAAAAAAY!" each week. Jy's die beste!

The Burg: For inspiring me without meaning to, and for never pulling your punches, even when the whole world (including me) thought you should. (Love the mullet!)

The rest of the media: Because you're all great, and you all treated me like an equal.

The contestants: (No, Burg, I didn't steal this idea from you, I was going to do it anyway ;) )

Jamie Lee: Spunky, talented, and true to yourself, you're the perfect example of how it should be done. I think that tattoo will be more prophetic than you realize.

Bonolo: Your grace and confidence are inspiring, and your personality earned you a special place in my book.

Pume: My first ever one-on-one interview, your charm and eloquence made it easier than I could have imagined. As Randall said, sublime.

Kesha: I'm sure we'll be seeing much more of you in the future - you've definitely got that star quality!

Martelize: Talented, sweet and a heart the size of South Africa, I look forward to hearing more out of you (and to you making our shared last name famous!)

Deidre: You won my heart from the moment you auditioned, and no matter what, you'll always be a star to me. Thanks for everything!

Ayanda: That laugh, that smile, that amazing personality. You were a natural at presenting last night (despite those pesky mic problems) and I just know we'll be seeing (and hopefully hearing!) a lot out of you in the future.

Nhlanhla: You definitely have talent, and your stage presence is second to none. And an extra thank you for reminding me of how much fun it can be when you learn to stop worrying and love the journey.

Nicky: Of all the contestants, you turned out to be the biggest surprise of all. Week after week, you showed me exactly how talented you are, and went from one of my biggest doubts to one of my favorite contestants.

V: From criticizing the band (and your dad!) to panning much of what you did, you're probably the one contestant I was most critical of. For never letting that get in the way of our new friendship, and for actually turning one of my visions into reality on national television, and for your extraordinary grace in all circumstances, I thank you. I'll see you at that braai!

Gift: The most down-to-earth, hardworking and most likeable guy around, thanks for always taking an extra second to make sure to greet me, for always putting up with my incessant picture taking even when you were mid-chew, and for just being you. I'm telling you, I'm gonna make that thing we discussed happen! Just you wait and see.

Karin: Your journey has been nothing short of inspiring, but even in the face of growing adulation, you've remained remarkably true to yourself. Thanks for always having a smile for me, and acting as if we've known each other forever. But most of all, thanks for proving that no matter where you come from, no matter what the obstacles, and no matter what anyone says, dreams do come true. You've done your parents, your family, and most importantly, yourself, proud.

And finally, thanks to all of you. I've said it before, but I'll say it one last time: without you guys, this blog would be collecting dust. Your faithful support week after week, whether you've agreed with me or not, has meant the world to me. If it wasn't for you, none of this would be possible.

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I'll be updating the blog with Idols news - so make sure to stay subscribed (or if you haven't subscribed yet, what are you waiting for?), and tracking the contestants as they make their way into the industry. Now that Idols is over, the Binnelanders blog will get much-needed attention, and I'm also working on a general project to fill the space left by Idols. I'll announce new projects through here, so if you're subscribed, you'll find out about them as they happen. In the meantime, pictures will go up soon (thanks for your patience on this, I know I'm way behind on those). And I'd love to hear from you guys - thoughts on the season, the outcome, the future - whatever you want to share.

Thanks for everything!

An Impromptu Guestbook

OK, guys... Many of you have been reading for months, some are brand new, and some probably got here by mistake. My stats tell me that there's plenty of you who come back each week (or day) to check what's new on the blog.

I mentioned in another post that I would not mistake a quiet fanbase for a small one again, and so it is here as well. While there's only a handful of people leaving comments, I'd love to hear from the rest of you - even if just once - before it all comes to a close.

Let me know what you've thought of this year's Idols so far, the contestants, and of course, the blog. Even if it's anonymous, or under a pseudonymm, I'd love to hear from you just once before it's all over and done with :)

With just a few days left, all I can say is, thank you all so much for everything. You guys are the best!

An Impromptu Guestbook

OK, guys... Many of you have been reading for months, some are brand new, and some probably got here by mistake. My stats tell me that there's plenty of you who come back each week (or day) to check what's new on the blog.

I mentioned in another post that I would not mistake a quiet fanbase for a small one again, and so it is here as well. While there's only a handful of people leaving comments, I'd love to hear from the rest of you - even if just once - before it all comes to a close.

Let me know what you've thought of this year's Idols so far, the contestants, and of course, the blog. Even if it's anonymous, or under a pseudonymm, I'd love to hear from you just once before it's all over and done with :)

With just a few days left, all I can say is, thank you all so much for everything. You guys are the best!

Talk Back: Song Selections, Final Predictions

Not only will it be a short list, it will be a sad one. After more than 3 months, 90 posts, and countless fond memories, here's the very last Song Selection column of the season. Apologies for the fact that pictures aren't up, the last couple of days were a bit hectic but I promise that (barring interference from Hellkom - my phone went out of service three times in the last week) I will put them up today.

Here are the song selections:

Gift
Gift’s Choice: ''Senorita'', Justin Timberlake
Judges’ Choice: ''End of The Road'', Boyz II Men
Winner’s Single: ''Sometimes A Dream'', Original

Karin
Karin’s Choice: ''Natural Woman'', Aretha Franklin
Judges’ Choice: ''If I Can’t Have You'', Yvonne Elliman
Winner’s Single: ''I’m So Ready'', Original

Since I obviously haven't heard the unreleased "Winner's Singles" yet, I can only speak to the other four songs:

Gift - I certainly won't complain about hearing "End of the Road" again, but I'm not too sure that I think Senorita was one of his strongest numbers. I'd have loved to have seen him pick "Love Is All Around" or "Gimme the Night" instead. However, he did do well with Senorita - and his CD version of the song is spectacular, so I'm sure I'll still be pleased with the result, especially if he can incorporate the audience into a more complete take on the "Call And Answer" verses at the end.

Karin - I'm just glad I didn't have to choose her best performances. Judging her on her own standards, they were all rather equally strong, but I do wish that her take on Norah Jones' "Don't Know Why" had made the list. However I'm generally pleased with both songs and the selection gives a nice little contrast between sheer vocal power (Natural Woman) and more up-tempo fun (If I Can't Have You).

All in all, it's going to be quite the showdown, and I'm honestly struggling with a prediction. Since the Top 12 began, Karin has looked like the safe bet for the ultimate winner, but if the last few weeks have taught me anything, it's that there ain't no such thing as a safe bet. I'll reiterate what I said in a previous post: I think Gift has a very good chance at inheriting all the loose votes, as well as at least 50% support from the judging panel. Whether left purely to the public, or with a little influence from the judges, I am seriously starting to believe that Gift will win, and prove himself to be more than just the dark horse of the competition, and ultimately end up being crowned South Africa's next Idol.

As always, though, I want to hear what you think. In one of the biggest Battles of the Sexes since Harry Met Sally, who will reign supreme?

One-on-One withFinalist Karin

Encouraged by friends to audition for Idols, Karin Kortje's journey has possibly been one of the most inspiring and amazing transformations of all. From a timid, unremarkable girl to a increasingly beautiful and self-confident woman, Karin has changed before the country's eyes into a performer of Divaesque stature.

She knew she wanted to be a singer when she realized that she really liked the way she sounded when she sang. Now that she's achieved the enviable position of being an Idols finalist, her next goal is to make it all the way to the top. But once Idols is over, she admits that she'll miss the luxurious lifestyle she's enjoyed over the past few months, but even moreso, she'll miss all the wonderful people she's worked with.

With so much fame and public adulation, it would be easy to get an inflated ego, but Karin remains remarkable grounded and self-centered. How does she stay so down-to-earth? She reminds herself of the lessons she learned from her parents, and credits them for the person she is today. Acknowledging the emphasis on the "rags-to-riches" aspect of her story, she says that tales of her background tend to be exaggerated, and that she had two wonderful parents, a good and loving household, and emphasizes that while their lifestyle may not have been a luxurious one, they never struggled and always had what they needed. If she wins Idols (and possibly even if she doesn't) she plans on moving to Johannesburg to further pursue her career and build a good life for both her and her son. If she does win, the first thing she'll do is ask for the keys to her new car.

Karin also wishes to thank her fans, and says she is both surprised and overwhelmed by their support. She promises to do her very best to keep entertaining them in the future.

I don't think she'll have any problem keeping that promise.

One-on-One with Finalist Gift

He's smooth, he's hep, he's one cool cat, and he took a few minutes to sit down with me, one and one, after last night's results show.

It all started back in June, when Gift and some friends were working on starting their own decorating/events company. When Gift got the call that he was to audition on June 16th, he had a dilemma: there was also a major appointment scheduled with a potential client for the same day. Should he take a gamble and go for the Idols audition, or stick with the safe bet and choose the fledgling business instead? With the support of his friends, he made the right choice, and went in for his audition. The rest, as they say, is history: 5 months later, and Gift is an Idols finalist.

Gift knew he wanted to be singer since he was tiny - he lifts his foot off the ground to indicate how small he was. And music is in the blood, from his grandparents, down through all of his relatives, music is everything. So it's only natural that he followed in their footsteps and pursued a dream shared by his entire family: making it big. Once Idols is over, his next dream is to make a splash internationally, and follow in the impressive footsteps of his biggest Idol, Will Smith. Smith's ability to remain grounded, and true to himself, and his devotion to wife Jada Pinkett Smith are inspiring to Gift, and Gift hopes to achieve the same sort of positive lifestyle as his role model.

Speaking of life after Idols, Gift says the thing he'll miss the most about Idols is perfoming for the people and the excitement of being onstage in the Hippodrome. But hardest for him is facing the criticism of fans and judges, especially when he feels it's undeserved. But he's learned to be patient, and has seen his self-confidence increase greatly during the course of his Idols journey.

And if he wins? He'll give praise to God, who he credits for all that he is. That night he forgot the words to "Gimme the Night" during the results show? The first (and last) time he didn't pray before going onstage.

Gift thanks his fans for their support, knowing that without their passion and support, he never would have made it this far, and he will do his best to make everyone proud.

On that last count, I think it's safe to say: mission accomplished.

Press Conference Report

The post-show press conference was, unsurprisingly, an interesting one, as we got to speak to not just the eliminated contestants, but the finalists as well. First up were Karin and Gift, still trying to absorb the fact that they were through to the finals. Both were thrilled, and very surprised, to find out that they would be the final two contestants. When asked what the impact on her and her son would be if she ended up winning Idols, she reiterated that her son is her main reason for doing this, and that like any parent, she wants the best for him. If she wins, she'll likely leave her quiet life in Grabouw behind and move to Johannesburg to focus on her career.

Both were asked which judge's opinion they took most seriously, but both insisted that they take all the judges seriously. However, Gift was pleased with his performances Sunday night, and declared Randall's statement that the George Michael song was "too big" for Gift as... "crap". He explained that he listens to what the judges have to say, then goes back and watches his performances to determine whether he agrees with the feedback. Pointing out that Randall couldn't have been more wrong about the boys' chances in this competition, Gift feels he's proven himself and his abilities.

Next up were eliminated contestants V and Nicky. The big question of the night: what's next? Nicky says she'll finish her matric in February, then likely also make a move to Johannesburg. She had told her parents that if she were to make the Top 6, she was going to head off to Jo'burg to pursue her career. As for V, she's going to take full advantage of the opportunities that Idols has opened for her, and do her best to make her fans proud. And what's the first thing they'll do when they get home? "Sleep! And sleep, and sleep, and sleep." They're also really looking forward to some homecooked meals after months of eating restaurant food. When asked how much the support of friends and family meant to her, V got choked up and made it clear that it had meant very much to her indeed.

With the fun stuff out of the way, it was time to get down to business. Voting records were once again broken, with a staggering 1.7 million votes pouring in during the 24 hour voting period. And what about the judges' percentage? It was confirmed again that the judges do have up to 49% of the voting power - if all 4 agree. Each judge is asked to rank the contestants, and that information combined with voter statistics is processed to generate the final result. If all 4 don't agree, then the influence is significantly less, and as mentioned previously, if 2 vote for one and 2 for the other, the judges' votes are effectively canceled out, leaving the decision to the public.

So what can we expect for the Final? Each contestant will sing three songs: the song they think was their best performance, the song the judges believed was their best performance, and one unreleased song which will serve as the winning Idol's first single. The unreleased song will be different for Karin and Gift, as there was a "boy's" song and a "girl's" song. The single for the winner will likely be released during the week after the elimination, while decisions remain to be made as to whether a single will be released for the runner up. Additionally, both former SA Idols, Heinz and Anke, will be performing during the Live Spectacular.

Voting lines will close at approximate 6:30 (an exact time has not yet been established) leaving enough time to calculate the results, and announce the winner. The after party promises to be an energetic and fun event, with performances by Heinz, Arno Carstens, Anke and the winner, Skwatta Kamp, Denim, and Prime Circle. The performances are set to rock until 23:00, and there's sure to be a whole lot of partying going on well beyond. As always, I'll take as many pictures as I can, but don't expect an update until late Monday... or Tuesday, depending on how late I sleep ;)

Still coming today: one-on-one interviews with Karin and Gift, and more!

Wow.

Well, folks, there we have it. I spent 10 minutes trying to think of a title for this post, and all I could come up with is "Wow." Of course my actual thoughts have some 4 letters words tossed in, but Wow is about as close as I can get and still keep this a family-friendly blog.

I said yesterday that I fully expected to be wrong about my Karin/V Final prediction, but you know, I was still shocked. I wasn't completely shocked that V didn't make it in, and of course I was not surprised at all that Karin did. What did shock me was the announcement that Nicky had lost out to Gift, and that one of my favorite contestants of the season made it through. Note to self: do not mistake a quiet fanbase for a small one ever again. With Gift up against Karin now, I really don't know what is going to happen next week. Ignoring judges' influence for a minute, I think Gift actually has a very good chance at winning the whole shebang. It seems to me that everyone who has any intention of voting for Karin already is, and that a vast majority of the fans whose favorite was eliminated will be turning their support to Mr. Smooth.

And Gift has some support on the judging panel. Gareth is a big fan, and Mara loves him (as long as he stays away from the jazz). Sticking myself into Dave shoes, I'd have to think that speaking strictly from a business point of view, I'd have to go for Gift myself. He's probably the single most marketable contestant of the year: he has the looks, the charm, the universal appeal, and he has a boatload of talent. If he gets that 75% backing from the judges (face it, Randall's going to stick his support behind Karin) I think he will win this thing handily.

It was a tough show, though. It's impossible to describe the difference between watching a results show on TV and being there in person. I couldn't keep myself from looking around and watching the faces of each contestant's group of supporters. Somewhat surprisingly, the mood was fairly light before the show began, and Gift's mother even joined warmup artist Keith J. for a few minutes to prove that dance talent definitely runs in the family. Just before the show began, Colin ran over and gave each of the contestants a quick hug - a very sweet and touching move by someone I've never really taken a liking to on the screen. Once the Outsurance sting began, though, the mood turned a little more somber as everyone waited to see who (and how many) were going to go out.

I knew there would be two going home - and would have been outraged if there had been only one contestant eliminated. The Idols final just would not have worked if there had been three contestants vying for the title. But Colin wasted no time in confirming that it would be a classic showdown on Sunday between the country's top two contestants. Getting the "obvious" choice out of the way, he announced Karin as the first finalist [Edited: possibly a Freudian slip, I originally said "winner" instead of "first finalist]. As soon as he said V's name, I knew the truth: V would not be in the final. Quite simply, there was too much time left in the show for the announcements to be over. She was understandably emotional, yet gracious, as she stood next to Colin, leaving everyone to ponder whether Nicky or Gift was going to be going home next.

And I have to say, regardless of the radio polls, seeing Nicky and Gift standing there, I really thought Nicky was going to win out over Gift. Watching Gift's face, I have to say I think he thought so too. After what felt like the longest pause in TV history, Colin made his surprise announcement: Gift was going through to the finals.

When Karin's name was announced, there was quite the triumphant cheer from the audience, but it paled in comparison to the explosion of happiness when Gift's name was announced. I don't think there was a single person in the room who was unhappy that Gift made it through, and I'd be willing to put money on the fact that if you asked any of the contestant's supporters who should be there if their favorite couldn't be, they would have named Gift.

Well done to Karin, Gift, Nicky and V. Stay tuned to the blog today, there are more posts coming: press conference report, one-on-one interviews with both Karin and Gift, pictures from yesterday, and more. Yesterday was a stellar day for the blog, and excluding days where there was a link or article for the blog on the front page of the official site, it was the highest-traffic day yet. Thanks so much for your support.

Here's a Burgesque style signoff for now:

Julie, off to try to pull of a very big surprise for one of the contestants.

[Side notes: Will be at Back O' The Moon on Wednesday, and will most definitely be at the finals on Sunday.]

Talk Back Early Edition: News left and right

It's a banner news day for the Idols camp today:

It's official: The judges have a 49% vote, including in the final. Because it is a collective 49% (as opposed to each judge having a certain weight to their votes) it is possible that the judges can cancel each other out. If two vote V, for instance, and two vote Karin, then their influence vanishes and it's back to the public for the outcome.

Also, it was officially announced that Mara will not be back for another season of Idols. Disenchanted by the recent hoopla over her comments to V last week, Mara has had enough, and while she'll finish out this season as her contract states, she will not be stepping up to the plate again. Now if we can squeeze Gareth out, we could have The Burg and Julie showdown...

What do you think? Is the Judges' 49% a travesty of justice, or a way to make sure the best gets through? Will Idols be better, worse, or indifferent for Mara's absence? Talk back, and let me know!

Now *that's* what I'm talking about!

Finally, a show that proves that each and every one of the Fab Four deserves their spot in the semi-finals, and that any of the four could be a worthy Idol. Last night's show surpassed all the others in my opinion, and leaves the stage set for what Idols ultimately boils down to: a popularity contest. Based on last night's stellar performances, it's all going to come down to fanbase. I think this week will mark the true end of split-votes as people begin focusing on their favorite and fighting tooth and nail to see them through to the final.

I've dogged her in the past, and I've predicted her elimination more times than I have for any one else, but Miss Nicky "Forget Colin, Give Me Gareth" de Lange has proven herself to be a force to be reckoned with. Two huge songs, and she pulled them both off amazingly - especially impressive considering that she apparently is sick with tonsillitis. The Big Ballad is to Nicky what Spinach is to Popeye, which is somewhat surprising in light of her age. Not a lot of 18 year olds are capable of belting out such powerful songs, especially not the way that she has. It took a long time, but Nicky has finally won me over completely, and I'm looking forward to seeing what she has to offer in the future.

Another contestant who started out as one of my most criticized, yet rose to the top of my regard is the lovely Miss V "Don't Get Mad, Get in the Finals" Lalouette, who also is battling the tonsillitis bug. Drawing something of an apology from Mara (does "I probably owe you an apology" count as an actual apology? Eh, I'll take what I can get) V brought a little variety to the stage as she delivered an energetic rendition of "Rhythm of the Night" (which is not by Gloria Estefan! Nobody listens to me anymore), followed by a spine-tingling take on Diana Ross' "Touch Me in the Morning". Those first few notes of her second song were awe-inspiring, and possibly the best I've ever heard any contestant sound in this season. Overall, her second song outshone her first, and even Mara had to acknowledge the likelihood that V will be in the finals next week, which is about as big a compliment as Mara could have given her. As Dave said, maybe V doesn't connect with all the judges on the panel, but she definitely has a connection with much of the audience. Dave, with his increased focus on audience reaction over his own personal opinion, has earned his place as my favorite judge: always constructive, always even-handed, (not always right), it's clear why Dave holds the position that he does and even if the judges do get a 49% of the vote, I'd be willing to be that Dave holds 19% of that, and I'll trust his judgement however he decides to wield it.

I don't know if there are any bookies making odds on this year's winner, but if there are, I imagine Karin "The Only Apples I'll Be Picking are From a Fruit Basket" holds the post as favorite to win. While she may not have the "complete package" that most people think of when they think of an Idol, she has another package all wrapped up: the ultimate human interest story - from drab to fab, rags to riches, and some other cliches that I can't think of at the moment. The fact that she has one of the most beautiful voices this year is just gravy, and the combination together makes her a tough one to beat. She performed both songs beautifully last night, and resisted the urge to turn Whitney Houston's song into an overwrought dramafest and instead made it her best performance of the night. Clear, simple, unaffected: throughout this competition, Karin has stayed true to the the things that make her stand out.

If I were a teenager, there is has been only one contestant this year whose poster would have ranked a beloved spot above my bed: Gift "To South Africa" Gwe. Now here is someone who possesses that other complete package: talent, charm, looks, and a megadose of cool. He nailed his Lionel Richie number, and made being so good look so easy. And he handled his big George Michael selection perfectly: powerful, yet controlled, and just all-over good. There are no suns going down here: the sun is just rising on a new future for Gift, and it looks like it's gonna be a bright one.

And then there was Westlife. I'm not a big Westlife fan, but I was still looking forward to their performance. All I can say is, I was underwhelmed. I have a few suspicions about their performance, but I'll wait until I've seen it on TV to voice them (trying my hand at that ol' Colin Moss suspense, see) but my overall impression of them was that they were an unapproachable group of ultra-celebrities whose presence did nothing to add to the show in my opinion. I took a few pictures of them during the show, but I'm not sure that I'll be able to post them, because a certain grumpy bodyguard informed me rather firmly that I was not to take pictures from where I was sitting. (Bad angle?) They left immediately after the show, leaving a sizeable crowd of hopeful fans disappointed, though they were quickly cheered by the appearance of the real stars, their Idols.

I did manage to get pictures of everyone else though in one form or another (gets a lot easier when there are only 4 contestants to chase around instead of 12!). I'll probably post those tomorrow - if I can get through tonight's results show first. My pre-show prediction was for Gift and Nicky to leave, and I guess I'll stick by that, though I have to say, I really don't expect to be right. Absolutely anything could happen now, and it really is anybody's game. But I do feel confident that two will leave tonight, and no matter which two it is, it will probably be the most difficult Results show yet.

Idols Compilation Review

Finally made my way to the store to buy my copy of the Idols III compilation, featuring this year's Top 12 contestants, with a bonus track featuring five of the youngest contestants of the year. One thing that stood out the most after listening to the CD was the clear difference between live performances and the finely controlled studio atmosphere. Overall, it's a great CD, and will definitely be making it onto my mp3 player for future listening. Here's the rundown:

Karin, Ordinary People: Karin's velvety smooth voice translates beautifully onto CD, further perfected with studio enhancements. Accompanied only by gentle piano, this song is one of the best on the CD, and further underlines her strength in the jazzier side of the music world. Listening to this track on the CD, it's easy to imagine her putting out an entire album of smooth, melodic hits.

Nicky, Searchin' My Soul: Nicky follows with the energetic theme song from "Ally McBeal and sounds miles better than she has ever sounded on stage. Her voice loses some its "childish" edge, and she manages to remain well-controlled without smothering her fresh and energetic vocals, though she flags just slightly in the lower registers. Expertly executed backing vocals make this a polished song that really showcases her abilities, especially in the chorus.

Nhlanhla, Hello: The opening verses reminded me how pleasing Nhlanhla's voice can be - soft, rounded and delicate, this is easily the best I've ever heard him sound. He manages the chorus nicely, though very slight hints of the thinness that plagued his later performances begin to crop up. Overall, a very listenable track, and proof that Nhlanhla deserved his place amongst the Top 5.

Ayanda, Over the Rainbow: Ayanda's performance was something of a mixed-bag. Exhibiting phenomenal control and tenderness exactly where it's needed, she pulls off the higher notes with admirable ease, but her low notes are a little unsteady and breathy. A simple piano track highlights the simple beauty of both the song itself and Ayanda's pleasant voice. Possibly most notable is Ayanda's ability to sustain a high note with incredible steadiness, without the slightest hint of waver or unintended vibrato.

Deidre, Holding Out For A Hero: Performing what was probably her best number from the Live Spectaculars, this songs starts off slow and gentle, and Deidre shows considerable control over her often boisterous voice. She handles the tempo change perfectly, rocking right into the chorus without a hitch. Something strange happens in the chorus, though, where the back track manages to overwhelm her voice while still sounding oddly thin and washed out. Vocally, a strong performance, but overall, the track leaves a good deal to be desired.

Gift, Senorita: This track ranks among the best on the album, and Gift sounds exceedingly smooth and sexy here. He carried off the song admirably during the Group Stages, but with the benefit of mixing and editing at his side, he sounds flawless here, and does a superb job with the call-and-answer verses at the end. Of all the songs on the CD, this is one of the easiest to imagine getting radio air play. It feels like something's heating up, alright: Gift's future as a pop star, no matter what happens this season.

V, Show Me Heaven: Showcasing every ounce of the considerable talent that she possesses, V's track is possibly the most polished sounding on the album. While her live performance of this song left me feeling a emotionally disconnected, her voice carries the emotions of this song perfectly, and she comes across with beautiful clarity and technically flawless vocals.

Martelize, All By Myself: I felt Martelize got off to a weak start on this track, and struggled with the deep notes, but rallies back in the chorus with crystal-clarity and beautiful restraint. Oddly, this is the only song on the album where I preferred the live version over the studio recording, and ended up finding it a little too repetitive towards the end, though I did quite enjoy the lovely piano solo.

Jamie Lee, Shiver: What was striking about this song was, as it started, I couldn't place the voice, and if I hadn't remembered which contestant had sung Shiver, I would likely have never figured it out. Jamie-Lee sounded worlds different on the CD than she did on stage, for the better. No sign of that whisky-cigar voice she was so proud of, she sounds absolutely phenomenal, and her voice comes across as pure and gentle, and where she tripped up a bit with the low notes in the group stages, she pulled them off perfectly and unhesitatingly. This track single-handedly made me very eager to hear more from our girl James in the future.

Pume, Dance With My Father: More proof for the argument that the studio is far kinder than the stage, this track shows off everything that is beautiful about Pume's voice. If I remember correctly, Randall had declared Pume "sublime" after hearing her performing this song during the group stages. He must have wept after hearing this version, then. Spot on vocally and emotionally, this was a highly enjoyable track that would have given even Luther Vandross a run for his money.

Kesha, There You'll Be: I'll admit it: I'm still stunned that Kesha was eliminated so early in the competition. Sounding remarkably polished and mature on this track, and keeping a tight rein on her vocals, this is a beautiful track, with one of the best back tracks on the disc.

Bonolo, You're Amazing: I hate to say it, but I think this is the weakest track on the album. Strangely (and perhaps telling), I found Jacques Terre'Blanche's backing performance the most enjoyable part of this track. While not a terrible track, it was just uncompelling and in the light of having listened to 11 other very good tracks, it failed to live up to the others.

Bonus Track, Pop Trash: The final track on this CD is a fun and attitude-heavy collaboration between Deidre, Jamie-Lee, Kesha, Martelize and Nicky that makes me wonder if we wouldn't be looking to these five for a spunky girl group that could easily be this decade's answer to the Spice Girls. They sound great together, and between the five of them, deliver a cool performance with great pop appeal.

All in all, this CD exceeded my hopes and expectations. A few disappointments, perhaps, but in general, this CD serves as proof that South Africa has just as much musical talent as anywhere else, and that this year's top contestants all have a shot at making their mark in the music world - both here and abroad.

Photo Link

OK folks, here we are:

Top 5 Pics

Top 5 Pics Cont'd

There's something for everyone, including pics of floor manager David who Nhlanhla honored as the thing he'll miss most about Idols. David is the one wearing the headset, and is an all-around great guy.

The Photos Are Coming!

OK, busy uploading away. Apologies again for the delay, but hopefully the 55 pictures that I'm serving up for your pleasure will help compensate for the wait! There will be at least two, possibly three new blog entries on the Photos Blog so be prepared for a lot of downloading - hopefully you have a fast connection!

Partying with the Idols

First off, apologies for not posting the pics as promised today. I've got the bulk of the work done, now it's just a matter of getting them uploaded. I promise, promise, promise, they will be up tomorrow. Things were a little hectic today, especially with the Back O' The Moon Party to prepare for.

As I mentioned, I didn't bring along my camera. However I did bring along a friend, who dubbed himself my photographer for the evening, and he took many great pictures. As soon as I get them from him, I will post them for you to see. Thanks, Jacques!

I have to say, I wish I had started going to these Back O' The Moon parties a long time ago - I had no idea they were so much fun. I'm not exactly a nightclub kind of person, so I wasn't sure how I'd fare against the loud music and big crowds, but I had an absolute blast. The place just throbs with atmosphere, and everyone is busy having such a great time that it's impossible not to enjoy it along with them. The evening's musical festivities started off with the Fab Four (the Idols, not the Beatles) singing their songs from last Sunday's Live Spectacular. As good as they may sound on Sundays, they sound absolutely phenomenal in a venue like Back O' The Moon. Free from the pressures of performing to stay in the game, they just enjoyed themselves as they gave stellar performances that had the crowd rocking.

Once the Idols had finished their rounds, Malaika took the stage, and gave a roaringly fabulous show. It's hard to decide which was more impressive - their musical talents or their skills on the dance floor. This is one bunch who knows how to move. Rhythmically challenged myself, even I couldn't resist the groove of the music and found myself moving to the music more than a few times. It was an excellent show, enjoyable in all aspects.

As Malaika cooked onstage, some of the Idols showed off their fancy footwork in the media area. Watching Gift pull off some seriously impressive dance moves, the only thing I could think was "Now, that is one hep cat." I was so caught up in the vibe, I even found myself sharing a goofy dance with The Burg (looking sharp in his white suit) between the ever-nimble V and Gift. But perhaps one of the best treats of the night was watching musical director Johan Laas turning out some fantastically fun steps of his own. If there's one thing the Idols gang seems to be serious about, it's having fun. Not to be left out, Nicky spent time dancing with the crowd and Karin proved that she has a repertoire of funky moves to match the rest of the gang.

Malaika played for a nice long time, then gave way to the DJs who offered up a nice selection of fun dance numbers - including the song everyone loves to hate - "Crazy Frog". Sensing my only opportunity to show off my "dance" skills, I did my best Crazy Frog impression, which was well-received by those who saw it. (Hysterical laughter means "well-received", right?) By this point in the evening, I was having too much fun to care and danced as wackily as I could manage, and had a blast doing so. Eventually the crowd began thinning down, and the Idols went home for the evening, leaving me and my camera-happy friend resigned to the fact that the fun was over, and it was time to make the longish trek back to Pretoria.

It was an absolute blast, and easily one of the best times I've had in a very long time. There's only one more party left; if you can make it, I can recommend it highly. The vibe is unbeatable - it's a guaranteed good time!

Talk Back: Song Selections and Predictions

Nice and early this time around, they've released the song selections for Sunday's Live Spectacular. Paying tribute to some all-time greats, the Top 4 have a great lineup in store for us:

Nicky – ''It’s All Coming Back To Me'', Celine Dion; ''How Do I Live'', LeAnn Rimes
Karin – ''When I Need You'', Leo Sayer; ''I Have Nothing'', Whitney Houston
Gift – ''Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me'', George Michael; ''Stuck On You'', Lionel Richie
V – ''Touch Me In The Morning'', Diana Ross; ''Rhythm Of the Night'' Valeria

What a great selection of songs - there isn't a loser in the bunch. And with one more week to prove that they belong in the final, the Top 4 have made what should be very adept choices for themselves.

Perhaps encouraged by Dave's admiration for her ability to pull off the big ballads, Nicky has two powerhouse songs on the slate. Having proven her hand at handling the most challenging songs, I think she will do well with both of these. With big songs comes the requirement for big performances, and this could be the only major stumbling block from the Girl from Bloem. Will she be able to evoke the same powerful emotions with her stage performance as with her vocal abilities?

Karin plays to her best strengths, and should deliver both vocally and emotionally. While she sometimes struggles to deliver the right performance with more up-tempo songs, these two emotional numbers are right up her alley. I predict tears on the judging panel, and all across the country as she secures herself a spot in the final.

The last contestant to bring the Y chromosome to the table, Gift also has a duo of winning numbers. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" is the only George Michael song that ever gave me goosebumps, and after his deft handling of "Faith", Gift has proven that he can do more than just channel the ex-Whammite. This will be one of Gift's biggest numbers vocally, hopefully he can deliver the power that it needs. And Lionel Richie's "Stuck On You" should have South Africa stuck on him, being a song perfectly suited to his clear voice and sexy charm.

V brings a little contrast to the game, with Diana Ross' tender "Touch Me In The Morning" and Valeria's cover of DeBarge's "Rhythm of the Night". I think the Valeria number will prove the more challenging of the two, as some people still question her ability to do the fun and funky songs, but with a fierce fanbase, nothing short of showing up in pantaloons and a red rubber nose will stop her from going through to the final alongside Karin.

A very promising selection, and one that will make it more difficult than ever to decide who goes home. My predictions? I think two people will leave this Monday. Despite strong improvement and growing fanbases, I think Nicky and Gift will bid adieu this week, leaving the stage ripe for a showdown of epic proportions between Karin and V. Who will win?

Your guess is as good as mine!

Pics tomorrow!

I'll be uploading the pics I took on Sunday and Monday tomorrow. Hopefully I won't struggle with Blogger this time. I'll also be attending the Back O' The Moon party for the first time, but I'm still debating as to whether I'll be bringing my camera along. I think I might just go and enjoy myself without having to carry 5 kilos of equipment along. But I'll definitely report back on the evening's events!

And then there were 4...

Despite my criticisms over the past few weeks, I really was sad at last night's turn of events. I was a big Nhlanhla fan in the beginning, yet he somehow lost his charm for me. He stands fast by his conviction that nothing changed, including his voice, and is not sure what to attribute the comments by people such as Dave (and myself) to, but is confident that he was the same Nhlanhla as he was at the beginning. He admitted that he had struggled with stress and nerves, and had begun to question his ability in the face of increasing criticism, but last week he changed his mindset, and on the advice of unnamed friends, began just enjoying what he was doing and letting criticisms just roll off back. The change in his demeanor was remarkable, and yet a little saddening: I only wish he had found this serenity a few weeks ago.

The results show unfolded in typical dramatic and suspenseful style. V was tapped to announce the two groups that would represent the Top 2 and the Bottom 2: Karin and Nicky, and Gift and Nhlanhla. Staying as neutral as Switzerland, V declined to guess which group was which, and further declined to assign herself to a group - only acknowledging that she hoped that she wasn't in the Bottom 2, but if she was, she was prepared to accept it. Visibly shaken, she opened the envelope and breathed a sigh of relief as she announced that Nicky, Karin and herself would be in the semi-finals next week, leaving Gift and Nhlanhla to face the music. Colin had hinted earlier at the possibility that two people would be going home tonight, and the question remained on everyone's mind as the show's two boys stood nervously awaiting the verdict. As Colin told Gift he'd have to say his last goodbyes to Nhlanhla, it appeared to take a moment for the news to sink in: despite his somewhat surprising position in the Bottom 2, Gift was safe for another week. Appearing more saddened than relieved, he gave Nhlanhla a hug, then left the stage clear for Nhlanhla to sing "Here and Now" one last time. As seems to be the norm for results show, his final rendition surpassed his performance the night before, and helped remind everyone just how he had made it this far in the competition.

Despite a nerve-wracking and emotional results show, Nhlanhla managed to maintain an excellent spirit during the press conference, and I must say that he proved himself to be very capable at handling himself with the press. When asked whether it annoyed him that people were constantly mispronouncing his name, he said it didn't bother him at all, because he is certain people will be hearing a lot of it from here on out. Idols was just the beginning, and Nhlanhla figures he may take some advice from Dave and steer slightly away from Pop music and focus more on Afro-Pop, which he feels is better suited to his talents. Watching the brief snippet of his first audition last night, I have to agree that this would be an excellent place for him to really make his mark, and with his amazing personality, charismatic presence and yes, his vocal talent, he has all the makings of a legend.

Now that he's out of the competition, who would Nhlanhla like to see in the finals, and who is his pick to win? V and Karin are his choices for the Top 2, but speaking candidly, he admitted that he would like to see Karin win, mainly due to the immense opportunities it would afford her. Noting the similarities between himself and Karin, he recognizes how winning would have changed his life, and he would be happy to see Karin get that same opportunity. Either way, there's little doubt that Nhlanhla's life has changed forever, and while he may garden for his own pleasure, he is confident that gardening for a living is a thing of the past.

Once Nhlanhla left to participate in SMS2TV, attention focused on the other aspects of the show, most notably the voting records set this week, as well as the uproar over Mara's comments on Sunday nights. Carl Fischer, M-Net's Head of Local Productions, noted that viewers are extremely passionate about this year's contestants, and this passion is clearly reflected in the voting trends. Over a million votes were cast in the 24 hour voting period between Sunday and Monday evening, a new record for the show. Does there appear to be any connection between Mara's comments and the increased votes? He again noted the passion that this season has generated, and feels it is likely that negative comments against a favored contestant can generate increased voting activity. Doesn't this create an unfair advantage when someone receives votes more on principle than on talent? He points out that the it works in reverse as well, which helps even out the playing field a bit.

And what about Mara's comments? Fischer referred to Mara's response as posted on the website, in which Mara stands by her opinions, and says that her criticism of V is not a personal issue, but that V has "done nothing" for her from the beginning. She also points out that there are many other artists about whom she feels the same, and that she is unwilling to lie about her opinions simply to please angry viewers. As to the renewed allegations of racism, it was pointed out that Mara had given Nicky, the other white contestant still remaining in the show, high praise on Sunday evening, as she has done with other white contestants throughout the season.

Will Mara still be on the judging panel for the next season of Idols? First, the decision needs to be made as to whether (and when) there will be an Idols IV. Once this season is over, the season will be reviewed and discussions will begin as to what the next step for Idols will be - and only then will specifics such as the judging panel begin. I'm hoping the numbers will speak for themselves, and that M-Net will agree that Idols is worth continuing on - even once Open Time closes next year. Possibly only second to the Burg, I've lived and breathed Idols this season, and can only hope that my fascination can continue another year...

One more thought...

In the course of getting all worked up on my soapbox, I forgot to mention one other egregiously bad comment that was made last night - by Randall. His comment that one needs to have grown up on cornbread (I can't remember the full quote) in order to be able to have the soul that the Beyonce song required was also completely uncalled for, not to mention thoroughly untrue. The thinly veiled implication that only black people can sing with soul is incomprehensible, and calling up such a tired stereotype even more so.

Five Alive

Well, we're getting close to the end now. Only two more shows, and after tonight, four more contestants. Will there be a double elimination next week? My hunches say there will be, but the Idols gang is remaining stubbornly tight-lipped, so I guess we just have to wait and see.

Last night's show was a good one, though not the best one of the season. There weren't many performances that really moved me - some were great, some okay, and a few that left me a little dissatisfied. At this point in the season, that's something of a disappointment - I'd really expect the Top 5 contestants to offer up consistently dazzling displays of talent, but instead, it remains a mixed bag.

I'm a sucker for audience participation songs. So maybe it's no surprise that I just loved Gift's performance of "End of the Road". For that one song, he looked like he had already won this thing and had the road for his first tour. He came off as completely confident, charismatic, and charming, and the audience was just loving it. Before the show began, the stage production manager announced there would be a group participation piece, but gave us no details as to what, saying only that it was a song "we all know". And the audience, as always happens in audience participation songs, came through brilliantly. And to cap it all off, he sang it beautifully, and turned it into what was undoubtedly the finest performance of the evening. Unfortunately, however, I found his Usher number less inspiring, more due to the song itself than anything Gift did (aside from muffing the beginning). As I feared, the song itself just isn't very compelling, and I was left underwhelmed. I can think of few contestants who really deserve a spot in the final, but Gift is definitely one of them - hopefully he'll make song choices that give him a chance to keep proving the talents that make him so great.

V had a nice contrast of songs that displayed both her vocal talents and her versatility. Strutting her stuff in Beyonce's "Work It Out" I enjoyed her display of fresh moves and sassy groove, and she handled the vocal challenges perfectly, and gave an excellent performance. At the other end of the spectrum, she treated Christina Aguilera's "I Turn To You" with just the right blend of delicacy and
power. I'll have to wait until I see the show on TV to see how she came across on the screen, but live, she did amazingly well. And of course, there is the topic that had everyone talking last night: Mara's criticisms of V. I know some of you disagree that there is any bias happening, but even as someone who has been very critical of V, I simply can't understand Mara's stance. She seems patently unwilling to acknowledge anything good about V's performances - aside from the surprising praise for "Call Me" - and also unwilling to give any actual constructive criticism. "Aikona"? While I can accept that it's possible Mara didn't enjoy V's Christina number, I fail to see a single aspect of the performance that warranted an "Aikona". There have been far worse performances throughout the Top 12 - off-key, mistimed, poorly performed deliveries - and none has earned such harsh criticism as V has been given. Mara often tends to give mild or lukewarm criticisms to contestants - pointing out that vocally, it was good, but the performance didn't match, or that it was good overall but there was no light and shade. There doesn't appear to be any hint of constructiveness in her pans of V, though. And when V legitimately questioned whether "Aikona" was meant as a good thing or a bad thing, the near-animosity in Mara's reply to her was staggering, as if it was inconceivable that V could have thought it was a good thing. I may make myself unpopular for voicing this opinion, but that's all it is - an opinion: I really believe that Mara simply does not want V to win this thing. It seems to me that Mara feels that V doesn't deserve it, and that V goes against everything that Mara believes Idols is for, so she refuses to give one of the strongest contestants of the season any support in making it any further. I'm not talking about racism, I'm talking about plain, simple bias - she has made up her mind as to whether she feels V should win, and nothing V can do will change her mind in that. At this point, I think V could have the whole of South Africa in tears, even get Randall to tell her that she has proven herself to be the Idol, and Mara would still sit there and defiantly say "It was okay." Obviously, Mara is entitled to her opinion, but she won't garner any respect for herself if she fails to demonstrate that her judgements are based on anything other than personal feelings rather than on the contestant's performance.

(Stepping down from soapbox)

I was very eager to hear Karin sing "Never Never" again, and I wasn't disappointed. It's amazing, the change and progress she has made, and yet manages to retain the simple, unaffected beauty of her voice. And the transformation from the timid girl in fishnets in Capetown to the increasingly confident and beautiful woman we see in the Hippodrome each week is nothing short of amazing. However, I found her second song surprisingly underwhelming, yet was a little (pleaantly) surprised when even Gareth gave it a less than glowing review. A combination of uncompelling song and uninspiring performance canceled out her vocal abilities and left me less than impressed. Not that I think she has anything to worry about, but I have seen better - both from her and the other contestants.

Nicky escaped my pre-show elimination predictions this week, due mainly to the fact that she has surprised me with her ability to pull off some notoriously difficult songs. Unfortunately, it seems to me that it's the challenging ones that Nicky does best. She did pretty well with "Small Room" but perhaps due to my unfamiliarity with the song, I just wasn't blown away. And with Jewel, she got off to a slow and uninspiring start, but she nailed the chorus and rallied back to deliver an enjoyable song that should see her through to next week.

Before I begin on Nhlanhla, I do want to say this: last week I mentioned that I've noticed a distant attitude in Nhlanhla both on and off the stage. Last night, after the show, I saw the "old" Nhlanhla - smiling, happy, energetic. I even managed to get a picture of him - a feat that I had struggled to accomplish since the shot I got of him at the first Top 12 show. Nhlanhla is confident that he is staying true to his talent and has decided that he won't let what others might think of his performance - if he knows that he is doing his best, and that he is doing it well, then that's enough for him. For that, I have to commend him, and it was a real pleasure to see him having fun and just living it up last night. Good to have him back.

Unfortunately, while his change it demeanor won me over, his performances failed to do so. I'm not going to rehash the same, tired criticisms that I have over the past few weeks, aside from saying that once again, he is a stunning stage performer, and he is a lot of fun to watch. If his vocals could regain the pleasant quality that I enjoyed in the beginning, he'd be a serious contender in this competition. Unfortunately, I still believe it will be Nhlanhla who says goodbye tonight, and I honestly do think that's a shame. However, I am sure that even if tonight does prove to be the end of his Idols journey, he has made his mark on South Africa, and he has done both himself and his mother proud, and we're very likely to hear much more of him in the future.

--

For the first time last night, I noticed some of the judges really checking out the audience reactions during the songs. Dave, especially, would scan the audience, apparently trying to get a feel for how they were receiving each performance. He says he trusts their judgements, and in the end, I think he's right to do so. The main concern of any producer is that people will buy the CDs, and at the end of the day, it doesn't matter if he loves them, or Mara loves them, or even if 51% of the country loves them - if the audience is loving the performance, then that's what really matters - and you don't need an Idols crown to prove that you're a star.

Slightly delayed update

Just wanted to apologize in advance, but the update that I normally do on Sunday nights won't be done until Monday morning. There's quite a few things I want to cover, and I am exhausted, so check in Monday morning for the full article.

Thanks for your patience!

Live Again

Just to let you all know, I will indeed be at the Live Spectacular and Results Shows this week, so once again, I will try my best to get pictures of the Top 5, as well as any other interesting people who might be in attendance. Only 3 more shows to go!

Talk Back Extra: Christmas Curiosity

The Idols & Friends CD has been announced and here's a track listing:

Joy To The World - Karin Kortje
First Noel – David Fourie
Feliz Navidad - Gift Gwe, Nhlanhla Mwelse, Ayanda Mpama & Martelize van Niekerk
Hark The Herald Angels Sing – V Lalouette
Silent Night - Heinz Winckler
All I Want For Christmas Is You - Kesha Charlton-Perkins, Nicky de Lange and Deidre Visser
I’ll Be Home For Christmas – Poseletso Sejosingoe
Holy Night – Anke Pietrangeli
The Christmas Son – Brandon October
Away In A Manger – Bianca
Come All Ye Faithfull – Dozi

I note with some curiosity that only two of this year's contestants have solo numbers on the CD, interesting considering that both are my picks for the Top 2. Before seeing the track listing, I would have bet money that Karin would have been singing "Silent Night", as I think she'd do it beautifully, but I'm sure she'll do just as well with "Joy to the World". All in all though, as a confessed sucker for Christmas music, and a fan of the featured Top 7, this one is definitely on my "must-buy" list.

What about you? Have you bought the Idols III compilation? Will you be buying the Christmas CD? Talk back in the week's "Talk Back Extra"!

Talk Back: Song Selections and Predictions

Here we go: this week's song selections!

Nicky: Jewel "Foolish Games"; Karen Zoid "Small Room"
Karin: Shirley Bassey "Never Never"; Mary J Blige "Never Too Much"
Gift: Usher "U Remind Me"; Boyz II Men "End of the Road"
V: Christina Augilera "I Turn To You"; Beyonce "Work It Out"
Nhlanhla: Luther Vandross "Here and Now"; Stevie Wonder "Part Time Lover"


Every week I marvel over how short the list is getting!

It's a nice mix of selections and should make for good listening. Will the contestants do well enough to battle it out another week?

Nicky has definitely proven herself to be up to a lot of challenges. Jewel's achingly beautiful "Foolish Games" should be right up her alley. Let's just hope she bears Randall's warning in mind, and doesn't slack off simply because the song isn't as challenging as, say, Shakira. Seeing how well she did with her Evanescence number, though, Jewel should be no problem at all. However, especially at this point in the competition, vocal strength isn't going to be enough to keep going, and she's going to have to give a captivating performance to edge out her competition. As for her Karen Zoid song, I have to admit I haven't heard "Small Room" so I can't say how it will work for her, but picking a local artist could work either way for her, and garner the "Local is Lekker" vote, or alienate those who prefer more mainstream music.

Karin has already proven her ability to sing Never Never with stunning ease and beauty. After all the work with Johan and Mali, I only predict improvement. I can't wait to hear this one. As for her Mary J Blige-esque tribute to the late, great Luther Vandross, I can think of much better songs, and I'm really not impressed with this choice. Who knows, maybe she'll make the song work for me, the way Gift made "Back to One" work last week, but we'll see. Karin is one contestant who seems unable to do any wrong, so there's little criticism or advice I can offer, but I'd really like to see her deliver a more captivating performance. She has the vocal ability all right, but I think she needs to start focusing on her performance if she wants to win over more voters. There are voters out there who don't buy into Karin mania, and as contestants continue to drop out of the competition, there are a decent number of votes up for grabs. To get them, she's going to have to win these people over in a big way, and continue to stick with what she's been doing isn't going to cut it. She has to blow people away in every regard - vocally, and performance-wise.

And for perfect choices, I can't see a problem with either of Gift's selections. I predict that Mara will shed tears over his rendition of the Boyz II Men ballad. I always worry just a smidge when a contestant picks a song that would be the perfect goodbye song (I mean, really, if he goes home this week, who would be able to resist using "End of the Road" in the headline?), but I have a lot of confidence that he'll do really well, and if he can portray the emotion of the song well, this could be his biggest performance to date. The Usher song is perfect for his voice, and we know he has the moves. My problem with this song is that it's not a very compelling vocal performance, so I see potential danger there. It's fine on the radio, or on MTV, but as a live performanc, I think it leaves a lot to be desired. We'll have to see if he can make it compelling. That's definitely a bit of a challenge.

V breaks out the big guns and tackles two of the biggest voices in pop music - Beyonce and Christina Aguilera. Landing in the bottom three had to have come as a shock last week - I know I was floored - so falling back on what she does best will be a good way to get back to the top. I do see a problem with the Beyonce song: it's almost too perfect for V. With this track, it will be very hard for her not to draw criticism for sounding "too much like a cover" because their voices in this track sound so similar. A compliment to V, of course, but a dangerous road to travel. The good news is that it's probably the funkiest number that V has done so far, and if she can get the wardrobe to match (a challenge when you're limited to the Truworth's collection), she could really underline her ability to deliver the "whole package". However, this will be a tricky one performance wise. I keep trying to think of what would work, but the only things I come up with probably aren't implementable. If she can just follow the groove of the music (and this song has some serious groove) and vamp it a bit, she could blow some minds. Her Christina number is also a good fit vocally, and with a heartfelt song like "I Turn To You", this is another test of her ability to connect. I've been asked what it is she can do to make that connection happen, and trust me, I've given it a lot of thought. I think what it comes down to is just sincerity. If she could manage to look as if she has one person in mind that she's thinking of in that song, and really pour her emotion into it, it could be very powerful.

Nhlanhla has been losing ground with me lately. His voice continues to lose its appeal, in my opinion, and his attitude seems to be flagging a bit under the pressure. While he can give a commanding performance during a song, the hints of a likeable, down-to-earth guy that we saw in the beginning of the competition seem to be fading. From his edgy reactions to the judge's criticism to his general demeanor when he isn't performing, he is in danger of shutting himself down. He simply doesn't look like he is enjoying it anymore. Granted, I can fully understand that this is a competition, and a difficult one at that, but it can't be denied that the ability to win the public's affection is a very big factor. While he is safe with his die-hard fans, he also needs to win over other voters. He toppled from the top half to the bottom last week, and if he doesn't work on softening up his personality, he is at great risk of shutting himself out of this competition completely. As for this week's song selections, the same provisos apply as in former weeks: if he can round out his voice and bring a little warmth back, he could do very well with his Lionel Richie number. However, I predict the Luther Vandross number could prove to be too much for him, and isn't a very good pairing for his vocal talents.

And so, for the first time, my pre-show prediction is that Nhlanhla is going home. Yes, you read right: I am not predicting Nicky to leave this week. At this stage of the game, it's getting mighty hard to call. There are 3 contestants who have remained consistently good for the most part: (in no particular order) V, Gift and Karin. Nicky has continued to improve and surprise, while Nhlanhla has steadily declined in my book. What will happen from here on out is anybody's guess, though, and I'm just as eager to find out as ever.

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What do you think? Who's going to shine, and who's going to fall? Who do you think is going home this week? Talk back, and let me know!

Random notes...

I've been getting error messages from my subscription service for a couple of subscribers whose email keeps getting returned as undeliverable. Both start with an M, one is .za address and one is a .uk address. If this sounds like your email address, and you aren't getting notifications that the blog is updated, you might want to try reentering your email address in the subscription form to the right.

Also as a general reminder - if you've subscribed but are not getting notifications, be sure that there isn't an email from FeedBlitz waiting for you asking you to confirm your subscription. If you don't respond to that confirmation email, you will not get daily notifications that the blog has been updated. The notifications are sent the day after any updates are made.

And lastly, I've gotten a few emails regarding an "impostor" on the official forum. Someone using the same name as me (Julie) made a post the other day that seems to have people a little riled up, and people are double-checking to make sure it isn't me. Rest assured, it isn't, and I've changed my name to avoid confusion in the future. My name there is now BloggerJulie (though the "ie" gets dropped in the main view). Let's hope that they eventually fix the problem of allowing more than one person to use the same name.

Hopefully song selections will be released soon. As soon as they are, I'll be back with the Talk Back post for this week.

Thanks!

New Photos

These are being hosted over at photobucket due to some issues uploading them to my blog. Sorry for the clumsy format...

Click here to see the images. Note that there are two pages available to view.

Another stunning results show...

We're really coming down to the wire now - only three more shows left, and in between wondering how I'll ever fill all my time without Idols, it only gets harder watching people go home.

I didn't predict it correctly tonight, and I think it was partly due to the fact that I didn't want to. Ayanda is one of the most likeable people, and great fun to be around. After being told she was eliminated, she warned her fellow contestants "No hugs!" When she was in the hot seat last week, she had made the same request: No hugs if she were the one going home. During the press conference, she explained that hugs would have made her cry, but that she was too addicted to love and ended up reaching for the comforting arms of her friends. Naturally, she shed a few tears after being eliminated, but sitting in the press conference it was easy to forget the sorrow and just laugh along with one of the greatest personalities of the season. There was scarcely a question that she answered without laughing at some point. And let me just say: that laugh is infectious. Last night at the show, when they were playing her insert, every time she laughed, the entire audience laughed along with her. It's just impossible to resist.

Asked who she saw winning the whole thing, she was unable to pick just one, but affirmed that "from here on out, whoever wins deserves it." As for what's next for her, she'll sit back and wait for the offers to start coming in, and probably finish out her honors course. When asked whether she'd rather pursue acting or singing, she reckoned singing should be something she does for pleasure, and that acting should be what she does to earn a living. She also agreed that she'd love to do presenting, which I have to say would be a perfect outlet for her.

I suspect that Ayanda's elimination will affect the rest of the contestants. I definitely think she was a great mood-lifter and was able to make even the grimmest moments a little bit more fun with her wacky and loveable personality.

The real shocker of the evening was finding V in the bottom 3. Despite all my criticisms in the past, I was absolutely stunned when she took her place with Nhlanhla and Ayanda. I have to believe that the biggest factor was complacency amongst her fans. I've said before, absolutely no one is safe, and just assuming that your favorite is safe based on fanbase and past performances is not a good idea. I think tonight will prove to be a very big wakeup call to all of her supporters, though. Nhlanhla also tumbled out of last week's position in the top half, which just might confirm the judges' comments that his voice is losing its appeal. He has a battle ahead of him - even the last remaining wildcard, Nicky, leapt past him to take a surprising spot in the Top 3.

A very interesting turn of events indeed, and if anything, just proof that this is still anyone's game, and anything can happen. So make sure to keep voting for your favorite, because every vote counts.

Also, what I didn't know was that there is a limit on voting. Only the first 100 votes from each telephone number or SMS are counted, so if you're voting more than 100 times from one phone, you're only throwing away your money. Around 750,000 votes were cast during the voting period this week, representing a continued increase in voting. By the time final rolls around, it seems pretty safe to predict that voting will break the one million mark.

Three more weeks, five more contestants, and plenty of surprises in store. I don't know about you, but I'm loving every minute of it...

Six-sational!

Another week, another stellar Live Spectacular. It's a tough one this week. Who will I vote for? Who do I think should go home? So hard to choose...

First, let's start off with my favorite performance for the evening. Clawing her way into my good graces once again, we have V Lalouette. You might remember this line from my song selection rundown regarding "Call Me": "You know what I think would work for her? Stick a mic on the stand, give it the rockstar deathgrip, and put all of the energy (and she has plenty of it) into her singing, and less into her performance." Turns out that is precisely what V did, and man, did it ever work well. Technical perfection combined with an excellent performance earned V the top spot in my rankings tonight. And many, many thank yous to V for sparing me tears by avoiding the much-feared "fingers-by-the-ears" telephone trick.

In the same article, I also wondered whether V would be able to pull off a captivating performance for her KT Tungstall number. I have to say, I can't imagine what she could have done to make it work. While we can't place the blame at her feet this week, with it being Judges' Choice, I have to say that song selection was the biggest failure here. I think she'd have been much better served if she had been able to sing "Call Me" as her second number, and recuperated some of the damage done by the first song, but apparently she didn't have a choice.

Coming in at second place was Gift's rendition of (and I can't believe I'm going to say this) "Back at One". He took everything that I hate about that song away - the whiny desperation that Brian McKnight gives the song was nowhere in sight - and turned it into a fabulous number that suited his voice perfectly. He followed up with an equally impressive take on the song that was a hit for both Billy Joel and Westlife. There were some definitely tricky notes in there, and he hit them perfectly. The more time goes by, the more convinced I am that Gift will be in the Top 3. Of all the contestants, I think Gift is the quintessential example of the much-ballyhooed "X-Factor".

Karin snags third place with her beautiful work with "Do You Know". I do believe she sang the song better than Diana Ross herself. From the opening notes, I was just in awe of the beauty of her voice. She makes it seem so effortless to sound so melodic, and she is one singer that I could just listen to a capella and be perfectly happy. She also handled "If I Can't Have You" with an excellent performance, spot-on vocals, and a great look. In a word, splendid.

Picking number four was a little difficult. I actually enjoyed Nicky's "Brass in Pocket", and thought she handled it well. But even more amazingly, I was just thrilled with the way she managed "Underneath Your Clothes". I felt almost certain this song would trip her up (just like I was wrongly certain that My Immortal would prove her end) and instead, she just blew me away, and did the song better than I would have expected from any of the contestants. So I eat my words on Nicky once again. Very, very well done.

If picking fourth place was difficult, fifth place was nearly impossible. On one hand, there was a contestant who impressed me vocally, but left me hanging performance wise. And on the other, a contestant who did the exact opposite. So in no particular order, because I really can't choose between them:

Nhlanhla's "Walking Away" was, for me, exactly what I was afraid it would be. He just sounded extremely sharp and piercing tonight, and I didn't enjoy his first song at all. "All Night Long" started out much the same, but he softened it up a bit towards the end, making it a little bit better, but overall, I just wasn't very pleased. However, his performance for all night long was excellent, and for all the things I find lacking in him, he is definitely an excellent performer, and a lot of fun to watch.

Ayanda did very nicely vocally, especially with "Another Sad Love Song", but performance wise she simply wasn't compelling in any way. Again, I blame this mostly on song selection, because both songs are, to put it simply, just about impossible to perform visually. But her vocals were definitely pleasing.

And it's vocals that count the most in this competition. Based on that, and taking other factors into account, I think (close your eyes, bat) it just might be Nhlanhla "walking away" tomorrow night. However my record of late hasn't been very good, so we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

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Tonight was another fun evening. I took a friend to the show this time, and we both really enjoyed ourselves. And thankfully, it was nice and cool outside, so sitting in the Hippodrome was much more pleasant. A few local celebs made their appearances in the audience, most notably the always-handsome Heinz Winckler, as well as the highly energetic and entertaining Ferdinand Rabie. Heinz is so recognizable that as he took his seat in the very back row of the auditorium, fans a good distance below in the standing circle recognized and him and cheered. Also in attendance was Lisa, who you might remember from the Cape Town auditions. Lisa is the one who showed up bearing her (handwritten) book, claiming to be an 8 year old girl, and managed to drive Dave out of the room. She's an interesting person to talk to, though, and even sang a line of Madonna's "Like A Prayer" for me. I took quite a few pictures of everyone, and even managed to snag a few of the previously elusive Nicky. I'll do my best to stick those up tomorrow.

Also, if you've been puzzling over the math (5 contestants after tomorrow, and only 3 shows left), I did get confirmation that there will indeed be a double elimination coming up, though I couldn't get an answer as to when that will be. As always, the Idols team just loves surprises, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

All in all, another excellent night, full of both talent and surprises. Pretty soon it will be very difficult to choose at all, and I'll probably end up voting for everyone on the stage ;)

Check in tomorrow for post-results show updates!

Idol Thoughts...

Well, V continues to gain points in my book after speaking out against the nastiness some of her staunch supporters seem so eager to dish out. She left a message in her forum (as she is known to do), and included this statement:

"Firstly, I know this is a forum where people can say exactly what they feel, however, I'd just like to make it known that it really isn't cool to read hectically nasty things written about other contestants... especially when it's written by someone who really supports me. Not that I'm asking ya'll to change, but it's just something I thought I'd put out there for you to think about."

While I doubt it will make much of a difference, it's a testament to her own professionalism that she decided to make her opinions known, and to make it clear that those fans who insist on denegrating V's competition aren't currying any favor with her by doing so. Well done.

And in further news, it looks like Deidre has decided to put school on the back burner in favor of pursuing her dream. While she's going to attempt finishing out Grade 11 (if she can study, study, study before end of year exams), Matric may have to wait while she capitalizes on the momentum that her Idols exposure has granted her. I have no doubt she will make an excellent go of it, and will not waste the fantastic opportunities that have started opening up for her. She states that she may finish her matric via correspondence, or go back to school in a year or two. As always, best of luck to her - I feel fairly certain that we will see much more of her in the future.

New Photos Are Up!

Sorry for the delay in getting the new photos up, things have been a little bit hectic the last couple of days. But here they are! Click here to see shots of V, Heinz, Gift, Deidre, Martelize!

Early Talk Back!

They're quick on the ball this week. Here are this week's song choices:


Nicky – ''Underneath Your Clothes'', Shakira; ''Brass in Pocket'', The Pretenders
Karin – ''Do You Know Where You’re Going To'', Diana Ross; ''If I Can’t Have You'', Yvonne Elliman
Gift – ''Uptown Girl'', Westlife; ''Back at One'', Brian McKnight
V – ''Other Side of the World'', KT Tunstall; ''Call Me'', Blondie
Ayanda – ''Another Sad Love Song'', Toni Braxton; ''One Day I’ll Fly Away'', Randy Crawford
Nhlanhla – ''All Night Long'', Lionel Richie; ''Walking Away'', Craig David

I actually had recommended "Brass in Pocket" for Deidre for the Viewer's Choice rounds; I thought it would have suited her perfectly. But no matter, here are my thoughts:

Nicky - She should have no problem with her Pretenders number (though I think it was the perfect song for Deidre), but Shakira is a very difficult act to follow, so it will definitely be a challenge for her. My gut feeling is that it will prove to be much too big for her.

Karin - Perfect choices for her on both fronts. I can't wait to hear her singing "Do You Know" - one of The Supremes best songs, I think she is going to do this beautifully. And as if to further prove that her pop-ability isn't a once off, the judges have also given her a nice, energetic song. Unfortunately, both choices seem to underline the fact that Karin's talent doesn't really with contemporary pop music. Somehow, though, I don't think that will matter...

Gift - My main man singing a Piano man song. He should do really well with this number, and a thumbs-up to the judges for having suggested it. Remember a few weeks ago when I could swear I had heard Nhlanhla singing "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" before? Just so with Gift's second song, Brian McKnight's sappy Back At One. I have to confess: I hate this song. Don't ask me why, because I don't know, but when this song comes on the radio, I have to change the station. Maybe, just maybe, Mr. Smooth can breathe an entirely new life into the song and make me a fan.

V - She'll have no problem with her Blondie number (and really, the more Blondie in this competition, the better). If she breaks out of her familiar repertoire of moves and mannerisms, she could make this a really fun performance. If she does the fingers-by-the-ears telephone trick, I'm going to cry. Not in a good way. You know what I think would work for her? Stick a mic on the stand, give it the rockstar deathgrip, and put all of the energy (and she has plenty of it) into her singing, and less into her performance. As for her KT Tungstall song, this is yet another song this week that I can't wait to hear. She should do fine, however the understated nature of the song will require an effective performance to make it captivating. Can she do it? We shall see...

One of these days I'm going to have to stop calling Ayanda the Comeback Kid, and start referring to her as "The Great One who got off to a bad start". Nonetheless, she has a couple of challenges ahead of her: "Another Sad Love Song" is not an easy song, and will test Ayanda at both ends of the scale. One thing I feel confident of: she'll deliver a great stage performance. "One Day I'll Fly Away" is another song I'm not fond of, though, and will be hard to translate into a commanding stage performance. Vocally, though, I think she can do it. I mean, if Nicole Kidman can, surely Ayanda can!

Nhlanhla - "All Night Long" is one of my favorite Lionel Richie numbers, and I'm looking forward to Nhlanhla's performance. As I've mentioned, I have felt that he's been slipping a bit, and I think that this will be the perfect opportunity to recapture some of the magic. My initial suspicion is that "Walking Away" will, unfortunately, bring back that reedy quality in his voice that I don't like. If he can round his voice out just ever so slightly, and soften those high notes, he'll be fine. We'll see what happens.

And sticking with my earlier pre-prediction, I still see Nicky walking the plank this Monday. But, as always, only time will tell.

What do you think of the song selections? After this week, there will be more eliminees than contestants: who will be the one to tip the scales? Talk back, and let me know!

Forum is Up

So I went ahead and started a forum. It's very basic at the moment, but it should provide a nice space for everyone to discuss all things Idols. It will be moderated by me, so play nice! One nice thing is the availability of truly threaded comments, which should make for much easier reading!

Any comments, let me know. Otherwise, enjoy!

Click here to check it out.

Votes Notes

It was confirmed last night that the votes from the failed elimination last week were not used in this week's results. The producers agreed that the same problems existed with that group of votes, and that if they were invalid that week, they were still invalid this week. When asked why they continued to encourage voting, knowing the problems that existed, it was explained that if the difference between contestants had been wide enough, elimination would indeed have continued, and the final decision - although discussed earlier in the day - had only been made after the final results were in. The bottom line is, the numbers were so close that the technical problems could easily have swung the results in an entirely different direction.

Voting continues to break records though, and so far, around 4 million votes have been cast this season. The producers revealed that each week's results are very strongly indicative of how well a performer did on a certain night. Great performances see a high number of votes, and the not-so-great ones see a decline, regardless of fanbase. I'm sure I'm not alone in basing each weeks votes on how each person did that week, and ignoring past performances. I generally pick my top 3 choices to vote for. If more than 3 contestants did exceptionally well, they'll also get a vote from me. I almost always ignore previous performances when making my decision. But these trends in voting prove one thing: absolutely no one is safe, and one bad performance could spell doom for even the strongest of contestants.