For the past 7 years, SA Idols has caused a racial uproar each time after finale results. Yes, that is because no black person has ever been crowned an Idol in South Africa.
As the Top 3 sharpen their vocal chords for the penultimate showdown, politics of the show and its racial controversy cannot be ignored.
The top three of the ever-so-popular SA Idols consist of two black guys and one coloured lady and they are Melissa, Monde and the allegedly automatic 2012 Idol winner Khaya Mthethwa.
Politics aside, Khaya is talented and all that. However, a blogger on news24 wrote an article about how Khaya didn’t audition together with the rest of KZN stating that when he auditioned, there was no-one in the queue and in the waiting room it was just Khaya and Khaya alone. And fast forward Khaya is in the top 3 now. The news24 blogger alleged that Khaya was asked to audition allegedly because the producers saw him as someone who can put all the racial noise to rest. Essentially, as much as they fired Mara Louw for crying out a racial cry, they knew she made some sense.
This year, no white person is in the top 3 and even the top 10 was very clear in that, since blacks were the majority. “Blacks are the majority in South Africa,” you say. Yeah right!
This thing of saying Tshidi didn’t get enough votes is somehow unbelievable and the noise about her “don’t jump on me” is just crap. I saw that on Sunday and I quickly dismissed it and forgave her as it was perhaps a slip of the tongue. No one can claim not have ever had such, ever! Yes, I am basically saying Monde shouldn’t be in the top 3 and Tshidi should.
This year, the battle is between the blacks and the coloureds. As much as I also want a black Idol this year, I feel the show didn’t do justice to the demographics of this country if it is true that they do cook the results. Yes, I am saying I do not believe the Idols votes. Why is it that the results are not audited? To ensure there is no white person in the top what what? To ensure 2012 sees M-Net producing a black Idol?
The show has kept mum on allegations that that the judges’ “save” was especially reserved for their favourite in case his space in the top 2 is in jeopardy. And yes, you guessed it right, next week the other black guy will be sent packing!
In the midst of all this, I am asking myself: Do white people still vote seeing that there was no white person in the top what what? Do people base their votes on race or talent and consistency? When I was interviewed by Cape Talk 507 last year about the racial controversy marring the show, I stated that whites needed to liberate themselves and vote for deserving black talent and asserted that blacks should stop being stingy and vote for deserving talent. Whether indeed whites have liberated themselves and whether blacks are now voting in leaps and bounds, is a dissertation on its own.
In my interview at the radio station, I was asked why do blacks complain if they don’t win because they are able to forge sustainable careers in the industry despite them not being winners. I put it to the show host that no feeling compares to the crowning moment and that 10 years down the line, this country cannot afford to look down the memory lane and see no black winner in there. It is just simply not on.
Personally, I believe Tshidi’s Sunday performance was just as good as Melissa’s. Like Tazteeq says:
Unfair, Unexpected & Unbelievable exit for Tshidi .
I also want to mention that I agreed with Judge Unathi when she said Melissa did a good job in getting the pronunciation of the lyrics rights. Kudos to her.
Also, I presume the show couldn’t afford less males in the top 3. We all know how y’all ladies like being serenaded by a male and y’alll probably don’t vote for girls but for a guy. I still don’t get the vibe around this issue!
Will Khaya be the one to break the Idol curse on blacks?
Some argue in Khaya’s favour regarding him being an automatic winner: Why is it that when a black person is doing well, it is the blacks who will pull him down? I wish to put this to such people: When things are questionable, should we keep quiet just because we are black?...and yes, I am one of those who vote for Khaya week in and week out, even if I didn’t get the chance to watch.