Following the recent controversy around Idols SA’s season 14 winner, Yanga Sobetwa having not received her R1 million cash prize, we take you down the memory lane of Idols from season 1 to 15. The brand has actually taken a lot this year, including the Qwabe twins’ drama that left many fans shocked!
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These controversies include a legal battle with former judge Gareth Cliff… and some nasty exit of Mara Louw as a judge.
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Heinz Winckler was the first winner of Idols SA and went on to win three South African Music Awards. It was reported in June this year that he was going to father a fourth child.
Earlier last week Heinz had an old lower back injury making a comeback when he was in a gym session.
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“Earlier this week an old lower back injury made a comeback when I was in a gym session. In the last few days, I struggled to get out of bed and bend over…” he shared via a post on Saturday on his Instagram page.
Musically, Heinz seems to be doing good, judging by gigs posted on his social media pages, including live performance videos.
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Idols SA season 2 was scooped by Anke Pietrangeli, nicknamed the Kimberly Diamond, it’s been 16 years since Anke won the competition.
According to recent reports about her journey on Idols so many years ago, the 36-year-old Anke says that even though she made some poor decisions, it put her on the path she is today, and she couldn’t be happier.
Anke is a mother, she’s married and currently in a band called Late Final based in Cape Town. The band does corporate events, weddings, basically a function(s) band.
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Karin Kortje is the winner of the third season of Idols SA. With her in the final was Gift Gwe. In 2016, for the first time she has spoken about the night her ex-boyfriend killed Rente Kellerman, and how badly that incident has affected her singing career.
Speaking to IOL (then) she said that she will never get over that fatal night. She will never get over the fact that part of her died with Renate Kellerman.
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Karin was quoted as saying, “I couldn’t and still don’t understand why it all happened and I realized that I will pay for it for the rest of my life. Knowing so many (have) closed their hearts and turned their backs…”
On Sunday she was live on her Facebook where she thanked everyone who supports and buys tickets for her event that will be held on December 15, Carols Under The Stars which will be held at The Crater Outdoor Venue in Kuilsriver, Cape Town.
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Jody Williams won the fourth season of Idols SA on December 9, 2007, at the age of 17.
According to various reports the former Idols sensation claims that the show “ruined” her life and made her quit show business. Jody says not only has won the show in 2006 caused a massive rift in her family, but people who managed her career at the time ripped her off big time.
Season 5 of Idols SA had two winners, Jason Hartman and Sasha-Lee Davids. The latest update we saw about Jason is a show he was part of in March this year and the entrance was free.
As for Sasha-Lee Davids, she still performs at various events and on her Facebook verified page which has more than 33k followers, well, there’s none much happening that shows how really successful she’s been after winning the Idols SA competition.
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Season 6 of Idols SA competition was won by Elvis Blue in 2010. With three platinum and two gold albums – he’s one of South Africa’s most commercially successful artists. After shooting to fame in 2010, he unselfishly shared half of his winnings with runner-up Llyod Cele and he says that’s the best money decision he has ever made.
Dave van Vuuren scooped the Idols SA R1 million prize on season 7 in 2011. Dave has his own band called Southern Wild which will be performing at the Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts 2019-2020 from December 1st in the Western Cape. Tickets are available [HERE].
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The first South African Idols SA black winner was Khaya Mthethwa, scooping season 8 in 2012. Khaya has become an unresistible star and he’s a good example of success after winning the competition that is mostly surrounded by controversy. Khaya is married to Ntandoyenkosi Kunene, he’s a father, award-winning singer, Pastor at Oasis Church, radio and television presenter. Idols SA was just a stepping stone for this germ as he pushed himself and worked hard to be where he is today.
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Musa Sukwene won Idols SA’s season 9 in 2013. Musa became a household name after releasing his hit single Mthande, in which he collaborated with the late music producer Robbie Malinga. Under his belt Musa has a triple platinum-selling album, he won Metro FM Awards, SATMA, SABC Summer Song of the year. He’s still hard-working in the music business.
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After winning Idols season 10, Vincent Bones, a former homeless street kid roaming for left-overs in the streets of Sunnyside in Pretoria, just wanted to get a home for his family after winning the competition. Vincent is busy with music and in August he was performing at the Drive-Thru in Hamanskraal.
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Karabo Mogane won the coveted Idols SA season 11 title in 2015. It is also reported that with him trying to fulfill millions of fans’ expectations, the singer suddenly found himself in debt, apparently also got dumped like a hot potato by his publicity team.
Karabo is busy performing at various gigs, doing radio interviews and his latest single is titled Umakoti.
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Season 12 winner of the competition is Noma Khumalo. Recently we saw her album being knocked down from a higher price to that of R5. Besides being reported as an individual that was apparently going through depression, Noma Khumalo’s latest single Wensizwa is out in all digital music stores.
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Idols SA’s season 13 winner was Paxton Fielies in 2017. Paxton has a debut album out titled This Is Me and she’s gigging around, nothing fancy just your normal not so popular gigs, well, when it comes to a national level. Earlier this year (2019) it was reported that she got scammed by a contractor who ran off with her money for renovations. Luckily for her, a generous supporter had offered to help her and her family finish the planned renovations to her house. She is also reported having to want to put the house for sale in the market, but her parents refused.
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Season 14 Idols SA’s winner is no one other than Yanga Sobetwa. According to recent and also confirmed reports Idols SA hadn’t paid her R1 million prize. The brand claims that she was 17-years-old at the time and that she didn’t want the money to be paid into her mother’s bank account. It was also reported by Daily Sun that she says the matter has been resolved. According to reports Idols SA said they will make payments soon.
Yanga’s debut album Promised Land is currently out in all digital stores. In few days she will be releasing a single titled Little Girl from her debut album.
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“There we have it guys. Little Girl is one of the songs in my debut album and in 7 days I’m releasing it as a single, and it will be accompanied by a lyric video, so please make sure you share this image with your friends, family, and colleagues,” earlier this week she wrote on her Instagram page.
Luyolo Yiba from the Eastern Cape is this year’s season 15 Idols SA winner. November 17, 2019, marks the day Luyolo was crowned the winner of the competition. Apparently, he had only R1000 in his bank account before scooping the whooping R1 million prize from Idols SA. Hopefully, he will get it on time regardless of the age.
Anyway, Phat Joe on his Radio 2000 show, Phat Joe and The Family mentioned on Tuesday that with the voting smses alone Idols SA makes more than R100 million. Is it about the winners or money making-machine?
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The BIG question: Is Idols SA a curse or a blessing? What’s your take? Send us your opinion to editor@mgosi.co.za and we will publish all your letters.
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Idols SA S17 Online Auditions platform will open on Friday, 29th January 2021 at 9 AM and close on Sunday 14 February 2021 at 10 PM.
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