Music now cool as Sweet 16s win golden tickets
Idols SA has this year seen a significant number of 16-year-olds romp home with golden tickets.
Gavin Wratten, executive producer of the Mzansi Magic show, reckons music has become cool.
"Loyiso Bala once told me that Idols has made a career in music cool again, so I think parents are warming up to the idea that a career in music is a viable option and so they are encouraging their kids from a younger age," Wratten said.
"I also think today's 16-year-olds are more streetwise than say five or six years ago. So, they have more confidence to try something as big as Idols."
Wratten believes the talent this year has been different, with more niche or specialised singers and contestants with a strong brand identity and a strong connection with the genres they want to ultimately succeed in.
Now in its 12th season, Wratten said there are marked changes.
"The biggest evolution has been social media. A few years ago, people just watched and then talked about it around the water cooler on Monday morning.
"This year we were trending worldwide on Twitter during our first episode. People instantly connect with millions of other fans and discuss the show in real time."
This Sunday night is time for Johannesburg to shine.
One of the contestants is Nina Terblanche, 16, from Mpumalanga, who first watched the show in 2005 as a seven-year-old.
She believes that she stands a chance of winning despite her young age "because anything is possible if you really set your mind and heart to it".
The last Sweet 16 winner of Idols SA was Jody Williams from Cape Town in 2007.