Idols SA returnee Ty Loner a fan-favourite

The second live show of Idols SA took full effect on Sunday night with some of the contestants bringing their A-game and others not so much.

With the first elimination round just a week away, the top 12 contestants will be chopped down to 10 this Sunday.

In the past two weeks, viewers have witnessed the top 12 finalists contesting for their place in the competition at Pretoria’s Heartfelt Arena. Sowetan predicts how the top 10 should look like: 

In the top:

Ty Loner

The returnee has not only become a favourite for the judges but also for viewers at home judging by the reception on social media. After his first audition song by SZA titled The Weekend, JR declared that Ty had the potential of making his mark as an international artist. This week, JR echoed the same sentiment, adding that Ty shouldn’t forget him one day when he is famous. Ty delivered a stellar performance with soulful singer Presss and followed up with a solo performance of Last Last by Burna Boy. To say he knocked it out of the ballpark is an understatement.

Zee

The season’s youngest singer, 18-year-old Zee, killed her duet of Empini alongside Kelly Khumalo. Although the judges gave her thumbs up, they believed she was intimidated by the iconic songstress. For her solo act, Zee came back stronger, singing sultry tune Surprise by American singer Chlöe. In his comment to Zee, Somizi felt that she shouldn't be afraid to unleash the beast in her.

Ceejay

Let's not front, Ceejay is a total package and he swept the audience off their feet this week. His performance with Mduduzi Ncube showcased his versatility as a performer, leaving judge Thembi Seete in awe of talent and charm. He came back on stage and raised temperatures with a rendition of Love Nwantini by Ckay. He firmly secured himself a spot in the top 10 based on the applause from the audience. Even JR believed that Ceejay is a natural born star.

Nozi

Nozi has been a fan-favourite since she first sang in the audition round and her consistency has gotten her this far. She took the audience to church when she sang alongside Langa Mavuso, who said Nozi was a “flower waiting to blossom”. Her beautiful harmony and melodic voice showed off once again when she took on Beyoncé’s Break My Soul .The lyrics of the song served as testimony to how bold Nozi is and why she's the one to watch. 

Noxolo

Ever wondered what pure talent looks like? Well, look no further because it’s definitely Noxolo, who is the true embodiment of a darkhorse that can’t be ignored. Noxolo ate her performance with Khumalo and left no crumbs. She shone brightly as the opening act of the show and left Somizi mesmerised over her singing abilities and vocal range. She even received a coveted "Whoo Shem".

In the bottom

Kabelo 

Singing Ngam’khetha with Nomfundo Moh wasn't a good enough performance for Kabelo who the judges felt was boring and dull. Seete felt that he was in "his head too much" and not focusing on giving his all on stage. His solo performance of For Tonight by Giveon was not enough to recover.

Nandi

Nandi failed at her attempt of singing a groovy amapiano jam titled Ngimnandi with Boohle. Nandi couldn’t marry her vocals to the song and her performance came off as karaoke. She went at it again in a solo performance where she sang Fantasia’s emotional song Enough. Although Nandi seemed a bit relaxed in her second attempt, she still received mixed reactions from the judges.

Lerato

Lerato is a rough diamond and in need of some polishing – which is what the show is about. She has what it takes to make it in the top 10 but her dismal attempt at a solo performance with Kiss Me More by Doja Cat failed to impress. Surely her duet rendition of Soft Life with Nomfundo Moh was enough to save her.