Cape Town auditionees who wore hats.
Idols judges Randall Abrahams, Unathi Msengana, Gareth Cliff and Somizi Mhlongo gave 18 aspiring singers the nod at the Season 11 Cape Town auditions at Grand West today. These 18 Golden Ticket winners will now compete with the best performers from around the country at the popular singing contest's next round in May - the notorious Hell Week at Sun City.
"Today's auditions were exceptionally tense," says Idols
spokesperson Lani Lombard. "While the nerves got the better of many of the contestants, others were giving it their all to impress the intimidating judges, and in the end many tears were shed."
Even though it was a tough day for the wannabe Idols, the judges conceded that Cape Town lived up to their expectations. Even grumpy Randall grudgingly admitted that he might have seen “one or two” good people that he has hopes for.
One of the singers who received a 'yes' from all four of the judges was 19-year-old Elandré Schwartz from Despatch in the Eastern Cape, who is studying at the Waterfront Theatre School in Cape Town.
Another Eastern Cape contestant who made an impression on the judges was the lovely Anelisa Motaung (24) from Port Elizabeth, who works in a commercial laboratory as a Cytologist – a scientist who studies the normal and abnormal behaviour of human cells. “This is one way that I can help people,” Anelisa modestly told the judges. “I was taught in church as a small child that I was placed on this earth to put other people before me - not to be self-centered.”
Among the Capetonians who caught all four judges' eye was shy young Marcha Lombard (18) from Swellendam. Marcha just matriculated from Swellendam Secondary in 2014 and she decided to wait a few months so she could try her luck with Idols. “But if it doesn’t work out I’m going to study Music at the University of Stellenbosch,” she said.
“Cape Town is always my favourite audition city,” says judge Unathi. “There is always such a diverse group of people auditioning here, with such interesting stories.”
The next audition session for Idols SA Season 11 takes place at The Playhouse in Durban on 21 February and then the final auditions will take place at Carnival City, East of Johannesburg on 1 March.
Contestants should be South African citizens between the ages of 16 and 30 to enter and South Africa’s aspiring superstars are urged to remember their ID documents at the auditions. Underage contestants have to be accompanied by their parents.