Coaches will be taking teams of 13 each – five members of which are Port Elizabeth talent – to the knock-out rounds in the TV reality singing show The Voice SA.
The show took a different turn on the final episode of blind auditions when coach Lira took a 13th contestant into her team, prompting show producers to allow other coaches to add one more member to their teams.
Instead of the usual teams of 12, coaches now will be taking teams of 13 each through to what The Voice calls the KnockOuts.
Port Elizabeth’s Daniel Jay, Lora Joplin, Nikki van Niekerk, Siki Jo-An Qwazi and Eon Claude le Roux are among the lucky singers who earned a spot to be coached by experienced musicians.
The coaches are rapper and music producer Ricky Rick, afro-soul songbird Lira, singer and songwriter Riana Nel and rocker Francois van Coke.
On #TeamVanCoke is 23-year-old Humewood full-time musician Jay, who says he has always drawn inspiration from his father.
“I feel extremely honoured to be part of this show and that I have been given the opportunity to work with Francois van Coke. He is an absolute legend,” Jay said.
“I’m also very stoked I got Ricky Rick's attention during my Blind Audition. That guy keeps a good spirit in the air.
“I love the feedback I got from Riana and Lira as well. They are two very talented vocalists and personalities. I am loving every second of this show.”
#TeamLira possesses a double dose of the Bay with 29-year-old Bloemendal singer and teacher Joplin, who has been singing since the age of five, and multi-talented bartender, artist and musician Van Niekerk, 33.
“It felt amazing when Francois and Lira both turned at The Voice SA blind auditions ... I honestly wish I could have chosen both. I have tremendous respect for both of them and felt extremely honoured and star-struck by their turns,” Joplin said.
“I am completely shy, as most of my idols are/were, and my introversion mainly kicks in when I am off stage.
“On stage I am a brand new person. In choosing Lira I feel like she would understand my different sides and that, when the stage lights hit me, she would know that I am music first and foremost.”
Van Niekerk had Lira in disbelief when she chose her to be her coach after receiving enthusiastic nods from Francois, Lira and Riana.
“Seeing] the way they fought for me – I’ll be honest, my heart was split in three as they all have something to contribute.
“But Lira is a queen, she’s extremely positive and sometimes I can be very much in my head and need some of that energy,” Van Niekerk said.
Qwazi, 25, who is also an actress, joined #TeamRiana after wowing the judges with Miriam Makeba’s Igqirha Lendlela.
Formerly of Kwazakhele, Qwazi headed to Gauteng last year to further her career.
“It's really humbling and at the same time it makes me super excited that all the coaches would like me to be part of their team,” Qwazi said.
She had all four coaches turn their chairs towards her less than 15 seconds into her audition.
Despite Lira begging him in song to join her team after his rendition of Michael Bublé’s Feeling Good, Bay Bitcoin entrepreneur Eon le Roux opted for #TeamRiky – to the joy of a teary-eyed Riky Rick.
On why he chose Feeling Good for his audition, Le Roux said: “I had a tough life and at this point in time I believe in the person I have become, and the dream I have been given. “That song was fitting for the performance because I’m feeling good about myself and life.”
He said he entered The Voice because he has “a gift that needs to be shared with the world and the show is [my] biggest opportunity yet”.“I chose Ricky Rick because he was very passionate and I could sense the sincerity behind his pitch,” Le Roux said.
With all four of the coaches’ teams now full, The Voice SA changes things up again this week, going straight into KnockOut rounds which boast a brand new format and are a world-first for The Voice.
In the KnockOuts, team members will compete against each other for a spot in the top eight. Each episode of the four knockout rounds will see members of one team compete in solo performances.
Thereafter the teams will be split into sets of two competitors who will each perform the same song. The singer who executes the song best earns a spot in the top 16.
The Battle rounds will see the top 16 compete against one other under the mentorship of Lira, Ricky, Riana and Francois on live television. This is only when the public gets to vote for their favourite singer. The Voice SA airs at 5.30pm on Sundays on M-Net 101.