Dynamite Dineo drops out of Idols SA

Dineo Moseki

THE fifth singer to leave the massive eleventh season of Idols SA is the pint-sized 22-year-old Dineo Moseki from Nothwest province, which she fondly calls ’ ‘the capital of the Middle of Nowhere’.

The show’s Little Miss Dynamite was sent packing in a week that produced a record-setting 7.5 million votes. This brings the total number of votes cast for this season to more than 32 million, which is already way more than last year’s entire season grand total of 24 million.

The special guest artist on last night’s Idols SA Season 11 Top 5 Spectacular was a shining example of the type of career that can await a Top 5 Idols contestant. Just like successful South African Top 5 contenders like Graeme Watkins, L’Loyd Cele, and Andriëtte Norman, Billboard Music Award winner Carly Rae Jepsen was once a Top 5 Idol herself, placing third in Season 5 of Canadian Idol in 2007.

Since then the 29-year-old star has gone on to dominate world charts with hit after hit, like 2011’s “Call Me Maybe”, and she was here to support the South African Top 5, performing her latest hit, “Run Away With Me”, live on the Opera stage at the State Theatre in Pretoria.

The Top 5, who said goodbye to the pint-sized Dineo Moseki (22) from Northwest tonight, had dual musical themes to contend with to stay in the competition. In the first round they demonstrated to Idols SA Season 11’s Wooden Mic contenders how their audition songs should have gone, and in the second round the Top 5 each performed a song suggested for them by the Idols SA fans themselves.

Rhema Varrie (21) from Alberton did a far superior interpretation of Bruno Mars’s “Billionaire” than Wooden Mic contender Gavin Msiza did in the auditions, and in the second round he tackled the Percy Sledge classic “When a Man Loves a Woman”, for Idols SA fan Thuly Zondo.
“You sang your heart out, man,” Gareth Cliff said approvingly. He wasn’t sure if a Percy Sledge classic was a great song choice, “but you sang it as well as anyone could have sung it,” he said. “I cannot fault you,” said Somizi Mlongo. “You nailed it.” Unathi Msengana thought both of Rhema’s song choices were “spot-on”, and she commended Rhema on performing both songs with equal conviction. But Randall Abrahams was not convinced by the Zahara song in the first round. “I think next week is going to be tough for you,” he told Rhema.

24-year-old Karabo Mogane from Nelspruit performed Alicia Keys’s “I Keep On Falling”, which was massacred by Nofesane Bushula in the Season 11 auditions. And his fan favourite number was Ringo Madlingozi’s “Ekuseni”, suggested by Idols SA fan “Nqoh”.
“That was really good, man, it was smooth, it was effortless,” Gareth Cliff said approvingly. Somizi said just as he was beginning to think that Karabo was starting to sound the same every week, “this week you proved me wrong”. Unathi thought both song selections were very good for Karabo because he demonstrated his versatility. Randall noted that Karabo seemed to be peaking at the right time, and he commended him on staying focused and still working so hard at this stage of the competition. “And it’s refreshing after so many years on this competition to see that it hadn’t gone to your head,” he pointed out.

23-year-old Mmatema Moremi from Limpopo demonstrated a proper interpretation of Mary Mary’s Gospel classic “I Can’t Give Up Now”, which was attempted by Ziyanda Stefane during the auditions phase. And Idols SA fan Tintswalo Faith’s choice of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” was her second round number. “You’re singing one of the most well known songs in the world and you sang it beautifully. You’re a princess,” Gareth said. “I’m out of words,” said Somizi. “But you must know inside I’m jumping up and down, and I’m emotional.” “I’ve secretly been waiting for this day,” Unathi admitted, “and you blew it out of the water.” Randall pointed out that at this stage of the competition the contestants have to choose memorable “finalé songs”, and she was the first contestant so far to have done that.

Loyiso Gijana (16) from Uitenhage showed Wooden Mic contender Nonelela Bashe how Zahara’s “Ndiza” should have be done, and Idols SA fan Thimna Nobebe suggested Bob Marley’s “One Love” for his second round.
Gareth noted that Loyiso has managed to impress in virtually every genre of music so far across the competition. “I think this country is falling in love with you,” he said. But Somizi didn’t think that Loyiso gave as much as this song demanded. “Keep pushing yourself,” Unathi agreed. And Randall reiterated that at this stage the contestants need to deliver memorable performances that will sustain them over the next couple of weeks to the finalé. And he didn’t think this was this kind of performance.

24-year-old Siphelele Ngcobo from Inanda rehabilitated John Legend’s “So High” after Palesa Khutsoane’s assassination attempt on it in the auditions, and his second round song was The Soil’s “Inkomo”, suggested for him by an Idols SA fan who goes by the handle of “Unathi-4-life”
“Relaxed, charming … it was such a nice energy, man,” Gareth said approvingly. “What an amazing way to close the show!” Somizi exclaimed. “You stole the show in the first half, then you come and destroy the competition in the second half,” Unathi commented, and Randall commended him on always choosing South African songs. “But people don’t only vote on songs choices, they choose on personality,” he pointed out.

The result of this week’s vote will be announced during the live broadcast of the Top 4 Spectacular next Sunday, 1 November, on M-Net, channel 101 on DStv, and Mzansi Magic, channel 161 on DStv. –Multichoice