Ecstatic. Blessed and over the moon.That’s how Cape Town contestant Niyaaz Arends describes having made it to the Idols Top 10 on Sunday.
It was fourth time lucky for Niyaaz, who scraped through at the last minute. But the 22-year-old, who broke down in snot en trane, says a win is a win and he’d take it.
“I’m ecstatic, I feel so blessed and over the moon. I’m so grateful SA believes in me enough to put me through to the Top 10,” he tells the Daily Voice.
And the Mother City looks set to deliver another Idol, as all three Capeys in the Top 16 went into the next round.
Everyone’s nerves were klaar on Sunday night as the Idols Season 14 Top 10 was announced at the Pretoria State Theatre.
With a whopping nine million votes for the season’s first live voting show, the judges also threw their own spanner in the works when they announced they would not be using their wild card picks this year.
Instead, they gave the voting power to South Africa and the two contestants with the most votes from the “Maybe” list were put through.
Following the footsteps of last season’s teen winner, Paxton Fielies, Season 14’s youngest contestant, 17-year-old Yanga Sobetwa from Delft got an easy vote into the Top 10 and tells the Daily Voice: “It feels amazing, people will now buy into my music. The thought of being recognised is a real blessing.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment all my life. I’m able to do anything now.”
There was early disappointment for Capetonians when Niyaaz, from Ottery, was booted off the show, in favour of fellow-Capey Lincoln Lewis, 22, from Ravensmead.
After being told he had given judges “the best audition of the season so far”, Lincoln went on to impress during Theatre Week and received a unanimous thumbs-up for his Top 16 performance.
Lincoln says: “Making it to the Top 10 means that I am one step closer to winning Idols SA Season 14, but it also means I am one step closer to realising my dream of becoming a recording artist in South Africa, to inspire people from all walks of life through my music.”
But about 30 minutes into the show Niyaaz was brought back for a last chance along with others in the “Maybe” zone. And it was the Cape Flats youngster who snatched the last spot in the Top 10, causing him to break down in a flood of tears.
Idols SA season 14 is on Mzansi Magic, DStv Channel 161 on Sundays at 17h00.