New Idol?

Dirk

I'm not a SA Idols follower, but recent news surely got my attention.

What do you guys think about the whole finals saga?

Manfred-Klose

Jason is a very good singer, the only idol that probably sang some decent rock songs.

majestikc

What's the saga?

aubs1

Manfred Klose wrote Jason is a very good singer, the only idol that probably sang some decent rock songs.

I am personally quite angry about this saga.....it's a lot of crap!!! I only watch from the top 5 to the finals....

Idols is not just about Rock.....it's about the best OVERALL singer (vocalist).... Sasha-Lee is by far the better overall singer!!
Check out the American (and British) Idols, no rock singers there, as far as I remember Carrie Underwood is primarily a COUNTRY singer, neither was Kelly Clarkson,
and the last Idol, Jordin Sparks, (I would put Sasha-Lee in this category), was NOT a Rock singer. Then there was the FAT BLACK (just can't remember his name)
guy before them, I would say he was a SOUL singer.......I'm sure you get the point!!!

Jason in my opinion was ok, nothing special! His version of "Hey Jude" left me cold!!!
Sasha-Lee, granted, has no stage presence, but s...t, SHE CAN SING!!!! And that's what I believe Idols is (or should be) about.

Riaan-Combrink

I'm not really into either of them, but I think the way they resolved the saga was absurd.

I listened to M-Net's entertainment director on 567/702 yesterday morning. He said, given the huge amount of legal votes that were cast in time but not counted due to MTN/Vodacom/Cell C messing up (big surprise), M-Net "had to do the right thing and inform the public" to be "fair". I get that. We're talking about 600 000 legal, but uncounted, votes. In terms of the SA competition that's a massive amount. Turns out now the total votes cast (including the 600 000), was only 2,4 million - so they not-counted votes came to 25%. So they had to include it. You can't just eliminate the view of 25% of the voting public because of a systems glitch.

But making them joint winners, and giving Jason the same prizes Sasha-Lee received? That's just silly. Turns out he won 200 000 votes more than her (1,3 million vs 1,1 million). That's not a small margin. He was a clear winner. If you decide to "do the right thing", you should, erm, "do the right thing". She didn't win. He did. Simple, I think ... ?

WantzChas

I only saw one Idols episode this season, it was when that guy voice raped Sweet Child Of Mine. It was dreadful. That same episode they did a Smoke On The Water and Mama Mia fusion, which sounded pretty cool.

aubs1

Hey Riaan, This is South Africa, we have seen stranger things happen!!

Riaan-Combrink

aubs1 wrote Hey Riaan, This is South Africa, we have seen stranger things happen!!

Point taken ... ?

Bob-Dubery

bLuEs wrote I'm not a SA Idols follower, but recent news surely got my attention.

What do you guys think about the whole finals saga?

It's exposed Idols for what it is - or rather what it is NOT. Idols is a popularity contest and a money-making racket, not much to do with talent though an ability to sing in tune does help.

Bob-Dubery

Riaan C wrote
But making them joint winners, and giving Jason the same prizes Sasha-Lee received? That's just silly. Turns out he won 200 000 votes more than her (1,3 million vs 1,1 million). That's not a small margin. He was a clear winner. If you decide to "do the right thing", you should, erm, "do the right thing". She didn't win. He did. Simple, I think ... ?

I'd bet that a contract probably kicked in the moment she was declared a winner, and that binds the record company to give her certain opportunities. And now they can't get out of it. So they can give Jason what he would have got if he'd won in the first place and argue that in terms of reward and opportunities he's no worse off.

Look out for an album of duettes.

aubs1

Incredible....these "system glitches"...... I always believe I've won the lotto, but these "glitches" are what's keep changing the numbers...... my numbers!!!! :'(
Numbers...numbers.....numbers.....amazing what can be done with numbers..... ? ?

The whole Idols thing is ......ehm......quite amusing......

Bob, if you don't run a racket, you can't make money!! ?

Bob-Dubery

aubs1 wrote Incredible....these "system glitches"...... I always believe I've won the lotto, but these "glitches" are what's keep changing the numbers...... my numbers!!!! :'(
Numbers...numbers.....numbers.....amazing what can be done with numbers..... ? ?

The whole Idols thing is ......ehm......quite amusing......

Bob, if you don't run a racket, you can't make money!! ?

Sure. I'm not saying that Idols is unethical, but it does boil down to a popularity contest with votes cast by SMS. Which says to me that the primary benefactors are the cell phone companies. The artists probably end up with restrictive contracts that leave them little control over their career and effectively renders them glamorous hamsters on an unforgiving wheel. You can bet your bottom dollar that the record company involved is going to make sure it doesn't lose on the deal.

I'm not surprised that they've run into these kinds of glitches. I perhaps should be surprised that nobody who designed these systems catered for the fact that SMS is not guaranteed instant delivery - but I'm not really. This has probably happened on every Idols contest, but has only blown up now.

Bob-Dubery

Bob Dubery wrote
Sure. I'm not saying that Idols is unethical, but it does boil down to a popularity contest with votes cast by SMS. Which says to me that the primary benefactors are the cell phone companies. The artists probably end up with restrictive contracts that leave them little control over their career and effectively renders them glamorous hamsters on an unforgiving wheel. You can bet your bottom dollar that the record company involved is going to make sure it doesn't lose on the deal.

Which suggests that next time (if there is a next time) there should be a campaign highlighting what awaits the next idol. The slogan should be "Be kind to an idol - DON'T VOTE!"

Wizard

Careful what ideas you inadvertently plant.
Else soon we'll be voting for the Weekly Challenge by sms ...

Dirk

I watched the last few episode highlights yesterday. They were both pretty good, but IMHO, the top 10 American Idols were better than any of these guys. It boils down to what the main reason is for a competition like this; Money vs discovering talent?

Well, for those who don't know the procedure; there are a bunch of judges that you need to go through before you get to see Randall and the other 3. Now, Ive had some friends who entered (who can probably sing better than any of the two winners) that didnt even make it past the first bunch of judges, and yet you get to see a majority of contestants who gets humiliated by their unability to sing, who make it through to the "real" judges. Now that just tells me that they (MNET) are'nt after talent, but entertainment.

And then to screw up a voting poll like that, damn!! Have to agree with Riaan on that one, there should only be one winner.

According to the producer, this was most likely the last SA idols

Neps

Idols has NO credibility.. All these cometitions that run across the world is nothing more than making money for the broadcasters and sponsers. In the end however they all fall short.. The only one which actualy made it a bit bigger than the rest was Kelly, and she actualy can sing. ???

But as for the SA one, I get even more sick to watch it, even though a mate of mine made it to the final 6 I think. The judges are not worth the effort, cause none of them, except the guy from BMG has anything behind him. That women might have sold some records, but she's out of her depth.

As for the votes.. well.. Only in SA!!

I know I'll never be an Idol.. 2 reasons.. I've got a bit of respect for music, 2: do you realy want an Afrikaans boy standing on stage looking Randall in the eye and telling him 'you're a wan**r!!'

Dirk

Neps wrote do you realy want an Afrikaans boy standing on stage looking Randall in the eye and telling him 'you're a wan**r!!'

Well said..

I mean really, some of their comments in the auditions is absurd. I don't see the need to rip people apart like that. (even if they can't sing)

Bob-Dubery

Neps wrote
But as for the SA one, I get even more sick to watch it, even though a mate of mine made it to the final 6 I think. The judges are not worth the effort, cause none of them, except the guy from BMG has anything behind him. That women might have sold some records, but she's out of her depth.

As for the votes.. well.. Only in SA!!

Actually not. It's reported that there have been similar problems with Idols shows in the Uk and elsewhere - but it has never effected the outcome. If it hadn't effected the outcome here we wouldn't be talking about it. I'd bet that support for each finalist varied with region, so problems in one region would effect one finalist more than the other.

As for the judges and their credibility... well how much credibility do they have elsewhere? Does Mara Louw have more or less credentials than Paula Abdul? I think Idols is a farce everywhere - a more spectacular, better staged farce in some countries, but a farce none the less.

aubs1

Bob Dubery wrote
Does Mara Louw have more or less credentials than Paula Abdul?

Hahahaha....Mara...?? I don't think she sold ANY records!!!.....Her claim to fame is she sang kareoke on a boat that sank!!!!!...

Bob-Dubery

aubs1 wrote
Bob Dubery wrote
Does Mara Louw have more or less credentials than Paula Abdul?
Hahahaha....Mara...?? I don't think she sold ANY records!!!.....Her claim to fame is she sang kareoke on a boat that sank!!!!!...

I think you'll find she did rather more than that

See http://www.differentlyabled247365.co.za/pages/celeb%20pages/Mara%20Louw.html