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!
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!
posted by Julie at
1:49 AM
