Idols SA Top 16 girls show off their vocal skills

On Sunday, 6 September, the guys could relax in the audience, happy in the knowledge of a job well done, and cheer on their female counterparts as the Top 16 girls took the stage with a lively group rendition of the very first American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson’s Heartbeat Song.

Up-and-coming South African star Mathew Gold and BreakDLaw were the guest stars with their hit When We Were Young, and then the first girl to sing for the Idols SA fans’ votes the Pride of Limpopo, Mmatema Moreni (23), performing the Ella Henderson hit, Ghost.

Idols SA judge Gareth Cliff said it was a very powerful start to the evening. “You’ve made it very unfair for the other girls, that they have to follow that,” he said. Somizi Mhlongo was bereft of speech. “You are such an amazing ... you range is beyond ... your tone is beyond ...” he sputtered.

“Oh, my gosh! You are devastatingly gifted.” Unathi Msengana was happy to see that Mmatema performed that song like she meant every single word. Even Randall Abrahams was pleased. “There are many weeks to go before the final, keep up the song choice,” he advised. “Your charisma is what’s going to get you the votes.”

Fans can vote for Mmatema Moreni via USSD by dialing *120*33033# (Calls are charged at R1.50 per minute, limited to 200 votes per cellphone number); by SMSing her voting number 01 to 37400 (SMS’ are charged at R1.50/SMS, limited to 100 votes per cellphone number); or for free via WeChat (100 times per cellphone number); or for free on the official mobile site or Idols SA website or at www.mnet.co.za/idolsSA,100 times per cellphone number for each valid voting period.

Next up was the youngest girl in the competition this year, 17-year-old Nina Terblanche from Nelspruit, with Blackbyrd’s Better In The Morning.
“That was cute, I liked that a lot,” said Cliff. “I picked up something in your voice that I’ve heard in Taylor Swift’s voice. And that is something that’s very cool right now – a girl with a guitar and a great voice.”

“I like the fact that you hold your own,” said Mhlongo. “What you did now was perfecto. You are what I would call a full package.”

“It was enchanting, it was endearing, it was cheerful,” said Msengana.

And Abrahams summarised all of his colleagues’ positive comments. “You have a very different voice,” he praised. But he warned that Terblanche might struggle with votes because she’s not as confident as most of the other girls in the competition.

Fans can vote for Nina Terblanche via USSD by dialing *120*33033# (Calls are charged at R1.50 per minute, limited to 200 votes per cellphone number); by SMSing her voting number 02 to 37400 (SMS’ are charged at R1.50/SMS, limited to 100 votes per cellphone number); or for free via WeChat (100 times per cellphone number); or for free on the official mobile site or Idols SA website or at www.mnet.co.za/idolsSA, 100 times per cellphone number for each valid voting period.

Amanda Antony (22) from Port Elizabeth was up next with Beyoncé’s Drunk In Love.

“That is a very hard song to do right, and vocally I can’t fault you,” said Cliff. But in some ways he still thought it was a little lacking. ”I give it an 8 out of 10,” he told Antony. Mhlongo agreed that there are certain artists who, if you’re going to do their songs, “you need your ancestors next to you.”

And Msengana advised Antony that “it’s okay to be extraordinarily sexy when you do this kind of song”. “It was kinda paint-by-numbers,” Abrahams agreed. He wondered if Antony would get votes because of this song choice, or lose votes because of it.

Fans can vote for Amanda Antony via USSD by dialing *120*33033# (Calls are charged at R1.50 per minute, limited to 200 votes per cellphone number); by SMSing her voting number 03 to 37400 (SMS’ are charged at R1.50/SMS, limited to 100 votes per cellphone number); or for free via WeChat (100 times per cellphone number); or for free on the official mobile site or Idols SA website or at www.mnet.co.za/idolsSA,100 times per cellphone number for each valid voting period.

Elwira Standili (22) from Worcester took to the stage with the Taylor Swift hit Style.

“There’s a lightness to that song, it bounces, and I felt like yours was plodding, it wasn’t bouncing,” Cliff thought. Mhlongo advised Standili that it’s okay to admit that some songs are not your style. “Next time choose a soulful, ‘chilli-baba’ song,” he advised. “I thought you were perfect,” Msengana disagreed. “This was just stodgy,” said Abrahams. “It completely lacked charm.”

Fans can vote for Elwira Standili via USSD by dialing *120*33033# (Calls are charged at R1.50 per minute, limited to 200 votes per cellphone number); by SMSing her voting number 04 to 37400 (SMS’ are charged at R1.50/SMS, limited to 100 votes per cellphone number); or for free via WeChat (100 times per cellphone number); or for free on the official mobile site or Idols SA website or at www.mnet.co.za/idolsSA,100 times per cellphone number for each valid voting period.

18-year-old Bridgitt Leahy from Pietermaritzburg chose the Meghan Trainor hit Lips Are Moving.

Cliff said there was a lot he could criticise in that performance, “but I can’t help liking it,” he said, “And I do want to hear you up there again.” Mhlongo agreed that Leahy was not on key. But Msengana was impressed with how much she had grown so far in this competition. “I think you’re growing week by week,” she said. “The one thing you have on your side is that you’re quirky,” said Abrahams. “But if you have that card to play, you’ve got to play it. You’ve got to get in there!” he urged her.

Fans can vote for Bridgitt Leahy via USSD by dialing *120*33033# (Calls are charged at R1,50 per minute, limited to 200 votes per cellphone number); by SMSing her voting number 05 to 37400 (SMS’ are charged at R1.50/SMS, limited to 100 votes per cellphone number); or for free via WeChat (100 times per cellphone number); or for free on the official mobile site or Idols SA website or at www.mnet.co.za/idolsSA,100 times per cellphone number for each valid voting period.

Paarl beauty queen Nadia Herbst (20) strutted her stuff with Ellie Golding’s Love Me Like You Do.

“I did not expect that,” Cliff said honestly. “You occupied that song.” He said Nadia and Mmatema were head-and-shoulders above the rest. “Perfect song choice, perfect emotions, perfect look and feel – it was your show,” said Mhlongo. “That was incredibly powerful,” Msengana agreed. But Abrahams had problems with the phrasing and he thought the high notes were pitchy. “So if you’re going to get votes, as the other judges seem to think, I don’t think it will be for singing,” he complained.

Fans can vote for Nadia Herbst via USSD by dialing *120*33033# (Calls are charged at R1.50 per minute, limited to 200 votes per cellphone number); by SMSing her voting number 06 to 37400 (SMS’ are charged at R1.50/SMS, limited to 100 votes per cellphone number); or for free via WeChat (100 times per cellphone number); or for free on the official mobile site or Idols SA website or at www.mnet.co.za/idolsSA,100 times per cellphone number for each valid voting period.

Next up it was the turn of Vryburg singer Dineo Moseki (21), performing Sia’s Chandelier.

“Listen, it’s a very hard song,” said Cliff. “I found the chorus pitchy and strained.” Mhlongo momentarily lost command of his English ... “You swung on that chandelier, vocally,” he praised. “Sia is the pap-and-vleis, and you brought the chakalaka!” Msengana thought it was the performance of the night. But Abrahams disagreed. “To my mind you spent 90% of the time swallowing the words,” he complained.
 
Fans can vote for Dineo Moseki via USSD by dialing *120*33033# (Calls are charged at R1,50 per minute, limited to 200 votes per cellphone number); by SMSing her voting number 07 to 37400 (SMS’ are charged at R1.50/SMS, limited to 100 votes per cellphone number); or for free via WeChat (100 times per cellphone number); or for free on the official mobile site or Idols SA website or at www.mnet.co.za/idolsSA,100 times per cellphone number for each valid voting period.

And 25-year-old Shenay O’Brien from Johannesburg closed the show with Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj’s mashup of Bang Bang.

Cliff thought this performance was the one that “jumped the shark” for O’Brien. “The vocals did not work for me,” he said sadly. Mhlongo reminded O’Brien that he advised her to sing in her own voice. “Bye, Felicia,” he said shortly. But Msengana thought everyone in the Top 16 could learn from O’Brien when it comes to performance. “There were moments that worked and there were moments that were absolutely bleak,” said Abrahams. If you can’t handle that falsetto, stay away from the song, he advised.

Fans can vote for Shenay O’Brien via USSD by dialing *120*33033# (Calls are charged at R1,50 per minute, limited to 200 votes per cellphone number); by SMSing her voting number 08 to 37400 (SMS’ are charged at R1.50/SMS, limited to 100 votes per cellphone number); or for free via WeChat (100 times per cellphone number); or for free on the official mobile site or Idols SA website or at www.mnet.co.za/idolsSA,100 times per cellphone number for each valid voting period.

Voting for the Top 16 girls opened at the start of the live Spectacular show and closes on Tuesday, 8 September, at 22:00.

All the Terms and Conditions for Idols SA Season 11 voting are explained on the Idols SA website. 

The result of this voting period and last week’s voting for the Top 16 guys will be announced in a spectacular live show on Sunday, 13 September.

The four girls with the most votes and the four guys with the most votes will be safe. The four girls and four guys with the fewest votes will be up for elimination, and the Idols SA judging panel of Randall Abrahams, Somizi Mhlongo, Unathi Msengana, and Gareth Cliff will save two contestants (no matter from which group they are) to make up the Idols SA Season 11 Top 10.

Tickets to the Idols SA Season 11 Live Spectaculars are available from Computicket.

For more information on Idols SA, visit www.idolssa.tv. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook as well as on Twitter and on WeChat with the ID IdolsSA.