Idols South Africa season 18

Idols South Africa
Season 18
Hosted byProVerb
Judges
WinnerThapelo Molomo
Runner-upNozi Sibiya
Release
Original networkMzansi Magic
Original release17 July (2022-07-17) –
13 November 2022 (2022-11-13)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 17
Next →
Season 19

The eighteenth season of South African Idols premiered on 17 July 2022 on the Mzansi Magic television network under the theme "Singing a Different Tune".[1] Over 9,000 contestants auditioned for the season. The season was won by Thapelo Molomo and the runner-up was Nozi Sibiya.

Shortly after online auditions for the season were opened, it was announced that Randall Abrahams and Unathi Nkayi would not return to the show as judges.[2] In February 2022, M-Net announced that Thembi Seete and JR replaced them, joining Somizi Mhlongo on the judges panel.[3]

Finalists

This season, instead of the usual Top 16, a Top 12 was announced on 21 August 2022.[4][5]

Contestant Age Hometown Place finished
Thapelo Molomo 29 Mokopane, Limpopo Winner
Nozi Sibiya 27 Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal Runner-up
Mpilwenhle Mokopu 24 Katlehong, Gauteng 3rd
Ty Loner 21 Eldorado Park, Gauteng 4th
Zee Arnolds 18 Cape Town, Western Cape 5th
Noxolo Mthethwa 25 Inanda, KwaZulu-Natal 6th
Kabelo Makhetha 25 Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal 7th
CeeJay Canvass 24 KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal 8th
Tesmin-Robyn Khanye 23 Katlehong, Gauteng 9th
Lerato Matsabu 27 Vaal, Gauteng 10th
Nandi Ndathane 21 Diepkloof, Gauteng 11th
Hope Mkhway 23 Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal 12th

Weekly Song Choice and Results

Top 12: Duets with Mzansi Stars & Greatest Hits of Today

Group 1 (28 August)

Act Order Song — Duets with Mzansi Stars Order Song — Greatest Hits of Today Result
Zee 1 "Empini" with Kelly Khumalo 7 "Surprise" by Chlöe Safe
Thapelo 2 "Langa Linye" with Mduduzi Ncube 8 "Love Me More" by Sam Smith Safe
Hope 3 "Pretend" with Langa Mavuso 9 "Hrs and Hrs" by Muni Long Eliminated
Mpilwenhle 4 "Phatha Kahle" with Presss 10 "Positions" by Ariana Grande Safe
Kabelo 5 "Ngamkhetha" with Nomfundo Moh 11 "For Tonight" by Giveon Safe
Tesmin-Robyn 6 "Pillowtalk" with Boohle 12 "Pressure by Ari Lennox Safe

Group 2 (4 September)

Act Order Song — Duets with Mzansi Stars Order Song — Greatest Hits of Today Result
Noxolo 1 "Kuyenyukela" with Kelly Khumalo 7 "Jerome" by Lizzo Safe
Nandi 2 "Ngimnandi" with Boohle 8 "Enough" by Fantasia Eliminated
CeeJay 3 "Isgingci" with Mduduzi Ncube 9 "Love Nwantiti" by CKay Safe
Lerato 4 "Soft Life" with Nomfundo Moh 10 "Kiss Me More" by Doja Cat Safe
Ty Loner 5 "Cry No More" with Presss 11 "Last Last" by Burna Boy Safe
Nozi 6 "Mvula" with Langa Mavuso 12 "Break My Soul by Beyoncé Safe

Top 10: Spotify's Soulful Sundays (11 September)

Act Order Song[6] Result
Mpilwenhle 1 "Kahle" by Amanda Black Safe
Thapelo 2 "All By Myself" by Celine Dion Safe
Tesmin-Robyn 3 "More Than You" by Moneoa Safe
Zee 4 "Jik’izinto" by Zonke Safe
Kabelo 5 "Her Heart" by Anthony Hamilton Safe
Lerato 6 "I Can’t Make You Love Me" by Tank Eliminated
Ty Loner 7 "Thando" by Lloyd Cele Safe
Noxolo 8 "Masterpiece (Mona Lisa)" by Jazmine Sullivan Safe
Nozi 9 "Giving Myself" by Jennifer Hudson Safe
CeeJay 10 "Tonight (Best You Ever Had)" by John Legend Safe

Top 9: History of Music in Mzansi (18 September)

Act Order Song[7] Result
Noxolo 1 "Shebeleza" by Joe Mafela Safe
Kabelo 2 "Ekuseni" by Ringo Madlingozi Safe
Mpilwenhle 3 "Nomalanga" by Caiphus Semenya Safe
CeeJay 4 "Send Me (South Africa)" by Hugh Masekela Safe
Tesmin-Robyn 5 "Siyaya Phambili" by Stimela Eliminated
Ty Loner 6 "Scatterlings of Africa" by Juluka Safe
Nozi 7 "Nizalwa Ngobani" by Thandiswa Mazwai Safe
Thapelo 8 "Papa" by Sankomota Safe
Zee 9 "Mama I’m Sorry" by Brenda Fassie Safe

Top 8: Parents' High School Crush (25 September)

Act Order Song[8] Result
Nozi 1 "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack Safe
CeeJay 2 "Mas’thokoze" by Mafikizolo Eliminated
Zee 3 "(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love With You" by UB40 Safe
Kabelo 4 "Here and Now" by Luther Vandross Safe
Ty Loner 5 "Can You Stand The Rain" by New Edition Safe
Thapelo 6 "Let It Be" by The Beatles Safe
Mpilwenhle 7 "Hero" by Mariah Carey Safe
Noxolo 8 "Miss You Like Crazy" by Natalie Cole Safe

Top 7: Showstopper (2 October)

Act Order Song [9] Result
Kabelo 1 "Yeah!" by Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris Eliminated
Noxolo 2 "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" by Whitney Houston Safe
Mpilwenhle 3 "Run the World (Girls)" by Beyoncé Safe
Thapelo 4 "Di Boya Limpopo" by Master KG feat. Zanda Zakhuza & Makhadzi Safe
Zee 5 "Grown Woman" by Beyoncé Safe
Ty Loner 6 "Locked Out of Heaven" by Bruno Mars Safe
Nozi 7 "Don't Stop the Music" by Rihanna Safe

Top 6: Lifesong & Joyous Celebration (9 October)

Act Order Song — Lifesong[10] Order Song — Joyous Celebration[10] Result
Zee 1 "Hurt" by Christina Aguilera 7 "Uzuliphathe Kahle" with Joyous Celebration Safe
Noxolo 2 "We Were Here" by Simmy 8 "My Help" with Joyous Celebration Eliminated
Ty Loner 3 "Rock with You" by Michael Jackson 9 "Who Am I?" with Joyous Celebration Safe
Nozi 4 "One Night Only" by Jennifer Holliday 10 "Wenzile" with Joyous Celebration Safe
Mpilwenhle 5 "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson 11 "Ndenzel’ Uncedo" with Joyous Celebration Safe
Thapelo 6 "I Look to You" by "Whitney Houston" 12 "Hallelujah Nkateko" with Joyous Celebration Safe

Top 5: The Babyface Songbook & Local Chart Toppers (16 October)

Act Order Song — Babyface [11] Order Song — Local Chart Toppers[11] Result
Zee 1 "Breathe Again" by Toni Braxton 6 "Abalele" by Kabza de Small & DJ Maphorisa feat. Ami Faku Eliminated
Ty Loner 2 "The Color of Love" by Boyz II Men 7 "Mgani" by A-Reece Safe
Thapelo 3 "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men 8 "Sponky Ponky" by Jabu Khanyile Safe
Nozi 4 "Never Gonna Let You Go" by Faith Evans 9 "Asibe Happy" by Kabza de Small & DJ Maphorisa feat. Ami Faku Safe
Mpilwenhle 5 "Another Sad Love Song" by Toni Braxton 10 "Dali Nguwe" by Master KG & Wanitwa Mos feat. Nkosazana Daughter Safe

Top 4: New School Mzansi Hits & How It Should Have Been Done (23 October)

Act Order Song — New School Mzansi Hits[12] Order Song — How It Should Have Been Done[12] Result
Mpilwenhle 1 "Khusela" by Kabza de Small feat. Msaki 5 "Jealous" by Labrinth Safe
Ty Loner 2 "Selema (Po Po)" by Musa Keys & Loui 6 "You & I (Nobody in the World)" by John Legend Eliminated
Thapelo 3 "Seasons" by Lloyiso 7 "Ndikuthandile" by Vusi Nova Safe
Nozi 4 "Thando" by Mvzzle feat. Zammy 8 "Listen" by Beyoncé Safe

Top 3: My Audition Song, Divas and Divos & Judges' Choice (30 October)

Act Order Song — My Audition Song[13] Order Song — Divas and Divos[13] Order Song — Judges' Choice[13] Result
Nozi 1 "Best Part" by Daniel Caesar feat. H.E.R. 4 "Try a Little Tenderness" by Aretha Franklin 7 "Rise Up" by Andra Day Safe
Mpilwenhle 2 "Ke Mo Afrika" by Maleh 5 "Angel of Mine" by Monica 8 "A Long Walk" by Jill Scott Eliminated
Thapelo 3 "Esphambanweni" by Kelly Khumalo 6 "When a Man Loves a Woman" by Michael Bolton 9 "So Amazing" by Luther Vandross Safe

Top 2 (6 November)

Act Order Song — Idols-produced Single[14] Order Song — Viewers' Choice[14] Order Song — Song of the Season[14] Result
Thapelo 1 "Phanda" by Thapelo Molomo 3 "Thanayi" by Hugh Masekela 5 "Let It Be" by The Beatles Winner
Nozi 2 "Idliso" by Nozi Sibiya 4 "Moments Away" by Mango Groove 6 "Giving Myself" by Jennifer Hudson Runner-up
  • Before her elimination, Mpilwenhle Mokopu performed her single "Ngiyazifela".[15]

Elimination Chart

Colour key
  – Winner
  – Runner-up
  – Eliminated
  – Wild Card
  – Withdrew
Weekly results per act
Act Top 12 Top 10 Top 9 Top 8 Top 7 Top 6 Top 5 Top 4 Top 3 Top 2: Finale
Group 1 Group 2
Thapelo Molomo Safe N/a Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Winner
Nozi Sibiya N/a Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Runner-up
Mpilwenhle Mokopu Safe N/a Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe 3rd place Eliminated
Ty Loner N/a Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe 4th place Eliminated
Zee Arnolds Safe N/a Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe 5th place Eliminated
Noxolo Mthethwa N/a Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe 6th place Eliminated
Kabelo Makhetha Safe N/a Safe Safe Safe 7th place Eliminated
CeeJay Canvass N/a Safe Safe Safe 8th place Eliminated
Tesmin-Robyn Khanye Safe N/a Safe 9th place Eliminated
Lerato Matsabu N/a Safe 10th place Eliminated
Nandi Ndathane N/a 11th place Eliminated
Hope Mkhway 12th place Eliminated

References

  1. ^ Legodi, Simangele (8 July 2022). "SINGING A DIFFERENT TUNE: IDOLS SA SEASON 18 IS BACK". EWN. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  2. ^ Madibogo, Julia (23 January 2022). "Idols SA bids farewell to Randall Abrahams and Unathi Nkayi". News24. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  3. ^ Mphande, Joy (16 February 2022). "Thembi Seete and JR join Somizi as 'Idols SA season 18' judges". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  4. ^ Zuma, Mbalenhle (22 August 2022). "Meet your amazing 'Idols SA Season 18' top 12 contestants". Sunday World.
  5. ^ Seemela, Masego (22 August 2022). "Crowd faves make it to Idols SA top 12". SowetanLIVE.
  6. ^ "Mzanzi, meet your season 18 top 10 finalists for 'Idols SA'". IOL. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  7. ^ Valentine, Venecia (19 September 2022). "Mzansi vote for their 'Idols SA' season 18 top 9". IOL. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  8. ^ Khathi, Mzwandile (29 September 2022). "Idols SA top 8 give spectacular performances". Soweto Urban. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  9. ^ Valentine, Venecia (4 October 2022). "'Idols SA' season 18 announces its Top 7 in a blur of lights, props and dashing outfits". IOL. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  10. ^ a b Mbhele, Sandisiwe (10 October 2022). "Idols SA's top six bring out the joy". The Citizen. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  11. ^ a b Selisho, Kaunda (17 October 2022). "Idols SA top 5 announced after 13 million votes". The Citizen. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  12. ^ a b Mbhele, Sandisiwe (24 October 2022). "Idols SA top 4 reactions: 'Somizi must apologise to Llyoiso'". The Citizen. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  13. ^ a b c Dayile, Qhama (31 October 2022). "Meet Idols SA season 18 top three contestants". News24. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  14. ^ a b c Magagula, Nompumelelo (7 November 2022). "Idols Season 18: Who will take the crown among these two finalists?". City Press. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  15. ^ Magadla, Mahlohonolo (7 November 2022). "'Idols SA was a stepping stone for my music career' – Mpilwenhle on joining the show". True Love. Retrieved 13 November 2022.