DURBAN TALENT FOR IDOLS

Tides of talent – and trash – in Durban

Durban’s International Convention Centre was alive with the sound of music this week when hundreds of wannabe stars pitched up to impress the M-Net Idols team.

For the first time in the history of this popular television show, numbers at the KZN auditions surpassed those of the Western Cape. While just over 600 people entered the competition in the Mother City, 894 had a shot at Idols fame on the first day of Durban auditions. But what washed up in the audition room? It seems as if the heat, humidity and an eagerness to please spawned a concoction that turned “good” into “excellent”, bad into “horrible” and ugly into “hideous”.

The overall result was extremely positive, yielding 21 contestants for the Idols Top 100 – the most ever from Durban.

Idols judge Dave Thompson admits he was a little concerned early on. “The auditions started with ebbs of extremely bad performers, but thereafter we heard some incredible voices. My guess is that a high percentage of the Top 24 will be from KZN.”

Motor-mouth Gareth Cliff calls it “the best round ever in Durban” and was particularly impressed with a girl who “oozed the X factor.”

Even Idols bad boy Randall Abrahams, who has a reputation for being picky, came away impressed: “I saw three contestants who have what it takes to win this competition,” he says, but adds that it wasn’t exactly a talent tsunami. “When it was bad, it was very, very bad. Plenty of freakazoids, no question.”

Pixie Bennet (25) from Morningside was the first contestant to win a golden ticket into the Top 100 of M-Net’s popular reality show. Among the others is a nutritionist who went on a strict diet to be in shape for the competition; a holidaymaker whose girlfriend persuaded him at the last minute to enter; and a 20-year-old fashion design student who has produced an award-winning play at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.

From the sunny shores of Cape Town and Durban the Idols judges now move inland to Johannesburg. If you want a shot at Idols fame, you have to register for the auditions at the Fourways Indaba Hotel on January 11. The doors swing open at 08h00 but the sooner you get there, the better; the format is first come, first served.

Judge Mara Louw, who also believes that Durbanites upped their game – the hordes of bad singers notwithstanding – has a word of advice for everyone who plans to take part in the Johannesburg auditions: “We have a lot of fun in the audition room, but you have to prepare well, know your words and be yourself. Don’t imitate other artists. And there are no bonus points for clowning around. This is still a serious competition. There’s a lot at stake, and we’re looking for real talent.”

Gareth adds: “The choice of song is critical. Choose a song that is well-known, but not too well-known. And keep it simple!”

Idols will be broadcast on M-Net from February 1 at 17h30. Further information at www.mnet.co.za/idols