IDOLS Season 7 Top 15 got off to a blistering start in Midrand yesterday during a live show.

Freddie van Dango, 22, from Johannesburg, stole the show with his flawless rendition of Coldplay's The Scientist. He is a fulltime musician who is currently recording his debut album Red Horizon.

Close by was Dave van Vuuren, 21 who is blessed with an unmistakable timbre, sang U2’s With Or Without You in a  more acoustic vocal expression  had the audience in stitches. “That’s what Bono should sound like,” Randall said simply.

Contestants sang contemporary hits accompanied by the Idols band.

Voting began at the end of the show and will run until the next live broadcast on Sunday before 5.30pm on M-Net.

Five Idols wannabes with fewer votes than the others will be sent home after a week of public voting to determine the Top 10 in the next live show, with the judges giving an input.

Before the start of the show, Josslynn Hlenti, 20, from Durban, stumbled by getting fewer votes at the final hurdle.

She was sent home before she could sing.

She was beaten by Jozi's Kerry Sanssoucie, 22.

But Kerry barely had time to enjoy her victory in her first Idols cut when she was hurled straight into the second big face-off of the season.

The voting lines opened at the start of the  show and the five contestants that receive the most votes this week will go through to the Top 10. The judges will select the other five members of the Top 10, and five contestants will go home!