On Friday night I hit
Dave and
Mark's Idols showdown with Thato Montwedi - aka TVSA blogger
Cande ...
We spent the evening scrutinizing them from row 10 and ranted about stuff in between, most espesh: Big Brother Amplified - neither of us are over it yet - and how pathetic it is that the Blackberry Curve doesn't have a flash.
After the show we hung out at the after shindig where we caught up with Dave and Mark and interviewed them together (as T&T) - over chicken wings and a medley of red, rosé and white wine.
*hic*
Here's what Dave to say:
T&T: What's the biggest thing that's changed in your life since you've been on the show?
Dave: For me it's that I've learnt to connect my mind with my heart so that they work in synch, together. Before I entered Idols my heart and my soul would be saying one thing and my mind saying the other.
I knew my heart and my soul was right but sometimes reality wouldn't allow me to follow my heart and soul - as much as I tried. Now that my mind is thinking in synch with heart and my soul, it's kinda working for the benefit of me because I can now think and feel at the same time.
T&T: It's been that and not all the attention from people?
Dave: That too - having everyone supporting you is the most insane thing. Before I had my family and my girlfriend and a few of my friends and some fans from my previous band but in comparison to this - all these people wanting to hear my music and know what's happening in my life, it's insane man. It's like really incredible.
T&T: How does your girlfriend cope with the girl groupies? How does she cope with all the underwear throwing?
Dave: It comes down to the way I cope with it because she's got no control. The way I deal with it I see them as my supporters and maybe potential friends one day but I've got eyes for one lady for the rest of my life.
Dave's girlfriend's name = Jessica Nolan. She wasn't at the aftermath so we couldn't snap a pic unfort.
T&T: You're gonna get married?
Dave: Yes, yes - she's my soulmate through and through. Her music is the only reason I live. The thing is, when people throw bra's at me, I won't pick up a bra man, 'cos I've got my one woman. Imagine seeing my woman pick up a pair of underpants.
T&T: *
trying not to imagine picking up underpants*. She's a musician too?
Dave: No she's an artist/dancer/fashion designer.
T&T: During the Top 3 you got a standing ovation from all four judges for the first time - how did that make you feel?
Dave: It was the most amazing feeling of my life man. My first two performances, I was just a bit out of focus - personal issues or whatever.
Afterwards I went out to the back of the church (at Teatro Mosaiek) and there's this huge cross there - it's about two storey's high - and I was like: "Please God, let me be your instrument. Let your light shine through me - that's all I'm here for - I'm not here for self gain - I just want people to love."
I just went out and apparently that's what people felt so it's not any thanks to me as a human being. It's thanks to God."
T&T: That must have been very emotional for you because Unathi was emotional, Gareth was emotional, everyone was emotional.
Dave: It was the most emotional thing I've ever been through - I cried as well, I was just: "
Whoa, I can't believe this." To have all those people united through music - that was just the greatest thing of it all.
T&T: What are you going to do if you
don't win?
Dave: I'm going to try my hardest to release my first album, get my music out there and tour the world - if I do win, it's already done for me through Universal which is so amazing. Then I'll have a lot of money to put towards the album and tour.
If don't win I'll have to find another way to do it 'cos I'd rather die than not play music. It's not like I'm gonna go and find a job - I'm never ever gonna give up on music - it's my purpose for living.
Flash to before Idols:
Dave finished school in 2008 and studied sound engineering for a year. He quit the course and worked various jobs, including retail stores. He wrote music through this time and played with his band Freedom For Your Life. At the end of 2010 he moved in with Jessica.
Dave: My parents were happy about it but they said: "So long as you get a stable job," and I said: "Okay, cool, "I'll try to find one." My mother got me a job at Resolution Health, at a medical aid, and I was working in hospital premiums from the beginning of this year until I made it to the Top 15 when I quit my job.
T&T: When you got to the Top 15, who did you think the Top 2 would be?
Dave: I had no idea to be very honest - everyone was such a great singer and they all had their individual talents and things about them that were unique. My two favourites of the competition were Freddie Van'Dango and Mark Haze and now Mark's in the final.
I also loved Crushanda, I loved Lefa, I loved Kelly, I loved Erin, I loved Dene - they were all so great. You should have seen rehearsals - when you get up on that stage it's a different story man.
You practice a certain way in rehearsals - all of the singers in the Top 15 were perfect singers - they'd never go out of pitch, never out of tune. When you get up on that stage and it's your time to shine, your mind is racing, your heart is racing, your soul is racing, your body's shaking - it's a different sort of thing to rehearsals.
That's all that South Africa gets to see but I wish they could see everyone in all the different lights that they are.
T&T: Out of all the Top 15, who are you closest to?
Dave: I was probably closest to Mark and Freddie hey. Me and Mark shared a room for a month, in our first month of Top 15. Yuss, we bonded like crazy and we're great friends today. He's the type of guy who'll come to my wedding one day and I'm sure he can say the same - he's my great friend of life.
T&T: When's the big day? We hope we'll be invited?
Dave: Basically the big day isn't planned 'cos we need certain things in order to get married. I want to give her a beautiful wedding - I want to give her something that's memorable.
The ring especially - as unmaterialistic as I aspire to be 'cos I know that all this *bleep!* is timely - the ring is something that wears and a symbol of our love and I know she's got a different taste in rings.
She's not the girl who's gonna get a diamond ring or a big gold ring with a huge diamond. I need someone to make it out of beautiful wood or silver or something. Something crazy with engravings of like leaves and stuff like that 'cos she's an earth child so it had to be very beautiful.
There's no date - we're not even engaged yet but I plan to get engaged to her very, very soon. She's my destiny, my life partner, there's no doubt in my whatsoever. Not once, since the first day I saw her three years ago.
For Mark's interview check out: Catch-Up with Mark.