Idols SA season 8 winner, Khaya Mthethwa, will play an important role in Mzansi Magic’s new music reality show, Clash of the Choirs South Africa.
Khaya has agreed to be the show’s Choir Master for Kwa-Zulu Natal and will be selecting the choir that will take on singing ensembles from six other South African regions on Saturday, 24 November and Sunday, 25 November.
The Clash of the Choir SA auditions will be held at The Square Boutique Hotel, 250 Umhlanga Rocks Drive, Lalucia Office Park from 08:00 until 18:00. Individual singers, as well as existing choirs, are invited to show Khaya that they have what it takes to compete in the series that will take choral music to another level.
“Having started his journey in a choir himself will not only inspire many, but is also evidence that if talent is nurtured, one is another step closer to their reality”, says Yolisa Phahle, Channel Director: Local Interest Channels. “Mentoring played an important part in this year’s Idols, which attracted hundreds of thousands of viewers to Mzansi Magic and Clash of the Choirs SA is an exciting continuation of our drive to unlock talent.”
If Khaya’s choir manages to follow in his winning footsteps, they will walk off with a grand prize worth R500 000. R250 000 will go to the choir itself, while the rest of the money will be for the charity of their choice. But first they will have to outdo Zwai Bala‘s choir from Mpumalanga and Zakes Bantwini’s choir from Gauteng. Not to mention the possible stiff competition from the yet-to-be-announced other expert Choir Masters.
Clash of the Choirs South Africa will challenge the contestants to perform different genres of music – from Pop, RnB and Gospel to Soul – in a choral formation. The Johannesburg wannabe contestants have already elevated the tempo at the auditions, choosing local sing-along hit songs such as ‘Jezabel’ by kwaito star Professor.
At auditions, each choir or singer is selected based on how they take ownership of a well-known song as well as their vocal ability. Choirs can audition as a group, however all seven Choir Masters are looking to set up their own choir that will compete in the final run for the grand prize. This means if the Choir Master hears a distinctive voice within the choir, he/she can pull certain members that will fill a spot in their 20 piece maestro masterpiece and represent their original choir in Clash of the Choirs.
Like his Choir Master counterparts, Khaya is of course no stranger to music. The Idol grew up surrounded by music. His advantage in this particular show comes from his musical instruments knowledge as a serious drummer, self-taught percussionist, keyboard player, composer and definitely no stranger to performing in front of a large crowd. Clash of the Choirs will see him imparting his first-hand experience at grooming and mentoring others all in the name of love of music.
“It’s fantastic that Khaya has agreed to represent his home region in his very busy post Idols schedule,” says M-Net’s Communications Manager, Lani Lombard. “It just shows again how passionate he is about his craft and sharing his talents. This is the ideal opportunity for aspiring singers to work closely with South Africa’s brightest new star and we would like to encourage everyone who takes music seriously to go to the auditions.”
This is an audition not to miss. Avoid disappointment and long que, make your way to the venue before 18:00pm as space is limited. You can download audition forms and pre-register here to speed up the process on the day of auditions, or just rock up at the venue. Remember to bring your ID along to prove that you’re 18 years or older.
AUDITION DATES & VENUES:
Limpopo: Saturday, 1 December & Sunday, 2 December – Fusion Boutique Hotel, 4 Schoeman Street, Polokwane
Free State: Saturday, 8 December & Sunday, 9 December – Protea Hotel Central, 202 Nelson Mandela Drive, Brandwag, Bloemfontein
North West: Saturday, 15 December & Sunday, 16 December – Orion Hotel, Donkerhoek Road, Rustenburg
Cape Town: Friday, 21 December & Saturday, 22 December – Roodebloem Studios, 43 Roodebloem Road, Woodstock, Cape Town
