WATCH: Goosebump performances on The Voice SA
The Voice SA coaches found themselves turning for some extra-special, surprising talent, leaving them with minimal spots remaining in their teams, before moving into the Battles phase of the competition.
Once the Blind Auditions come to an end next week, the coaches will have to pair up the talent in each of their teams of 14 to sing against each other in a series of sudden death duets, where each coach can only save one of the two performers from each performance.
On Sunday 9 diversely different contenders were good enough to warrant the turning of the coaches’ iconic red chairs, including Botlhale Phora (20) and Karabo Makwela (24), who make up the vocal duo Blaque Harmony.
The perfectly-synched friends in music started singing together just over a year ago, hoping to make ends meet for their families and raise funds for their studies. Three of the four coaches – Karen, Kahn and Bobby - desperately wanted the charming duo, who hail from Ga-rankuwa and who surprised the coaches by even answering questions in synch. In the end, Karen came out tops.
Also receiving three chair turns was Shen Winberg (30) from Cape Town, who has toured extensively around the world with his music - from Dubai to Dublin, Namibia to the USA, and all over South Africa. Shen, who is the South African Cultural Youth Ambassador for the World’s Children’s Prize Foundation, inspired Kahn, Karen and Bobby to try their best to win him over.
Ending the show on a high note was the impressive performance of 18-year-old Jono Johansen from Durban - who has just completed matric at Kearnsey College – and is a double world champ chorister.
All four of the coaches were waxing lyrical about Jono’s Blind Audition performance of Sam Smith’s “Lay Me Down” and his “control” and “special gift” inspired the potential future mentors to come up with elaborate pitches to win his favour. Jono ultimately chose songstress Lira.
Joining Jono on Team Lira was Busisiwe Mutlaka (23) who originally hails from Cape Town, but is calling Jozi home now, where she works as a consultant for an IT firm.
The team stats as the currently stand are as follows:
#TeamBobby: Sumaré van Schalkwyk, Lyle Anthony Volkwyn, Vernon Barnard, Zoe Mtila, Chris Werge, Kim Collins, Gavin Edwards, Chanel Davids, Xanilee Hammond, Abel Knobel, Lana Crowster, Jessica Martins and Mbijana Sibisi – 1 spot left.
#TeamKahn: Shen Winberg, Jade McDonald, Justin Swallow, Lara Gear, Francis Bowers, Michelle Moodie, Richard Stirton, Clemour Ngobeni, Johan Anker, Eden Myrrh, Zé and Prime Zulu – 2 spots left.
#TeamKaren: Blaque Harmony, Almur Marais, Tracey-Lee Oliver, Jono Grayson, Sofaya Nkosi, Zaretha Duvenhage, Nadine Sisam, Sibongile Sibeko, Nontu X, Tulla Eckart, Thembeka Mnguni and Marcel de Almeida – 2 spots left.
#TeamLira: Jono Johansen, Busisiwe Mutlaka, LuniQue, Sibulele Miti, William Wolf, Lendel Moonsamy, Robin Pieters, Kimberleigh van der Ventel, El Clay, Jeremy Olivier and Austin Lurring – 3 spots left.
- Press Release