Idols SA Season 7 Top 16 Contestants
Idols SA season 7 Top 16 contestants were revealed on Sunday 17 July 2011.
Check them out below;
Chloe Geldenhuys
Age: 16
Hometown: Cape Town
Chloe may be petite but she has a huge voice hiding in that small frame, and she is passionate about pursuing music once she’s finished with her schooling.
She feels at home on the stage and loves entertaining crowds, be it with her dancing, singing or keyboard skills.
She loves her family and will always be grateful to her best friend, Bronwyn who encouraged her to enter Idols.
Crushanda Forbes
Age: 23
Hometown: Cape Town
Nickname: Cru
Crushanda currently lives just outside of Kimberley with her parents. Her favourite person in the world is her new-born nephew, Tyler.
She was also a Top 12 contestant on Afrikaanse Idols in 2006. She loves hanging out with her friends, jamming on her guitar and performing.
The stage is her second home and she loves trying new things, so Idols is right up her alley.
Dave van Vuuren
Age: 20
Hometown: Johannesburg
Nickname: Dave Arising Fire
Dave believes that he is destined to create and perform music and as far as he’s concerned music is his identity.
He is now living in Johannesburg where he hopes he can follow his heart and create the music that stirs in the depths of his soul.
Dene Vorster
Age: 16
Hometown: Roodepoort
Dene has been singing for as long as she can remember.In 2009 Dene won the Linden High School ‘Idols’ competition, which was open to all schools in and around Johannesburg and which was adjudicated by Heinz Winckler.
This ambitious teenager dreams of one day becoming a singer or actor, and if that doesn’t pan out she has her eye set on studying medicine.
Erin Fourie
Age: 27
Hometown: Hilton
Erin’s audition got her four yeses from the Judges in Durban, which means that she can stop looking for a teaching job and start focusing on her singing skills.
She has been playing guitar since she was 13 and is currently trying to master the ukulele. Erin has a PGCE as well as an Honours Degree in Drama from University of KwaZulu-Natal in ‘Maritzburg.
She is certain that the stage is where she belongs, be it performing or singing, there’s nowhere she’d rather be.
Freddie Van’Dango
Full/Real Name: Freddie Moss
Age: 22
Hometown: Johannesburg
Freddie is a full time musician who is currently recording his debut album, ‘Red Horizon’. He’s taught himself how to play guitar – upside down.
He lives in a commune in Greenside and spends his Sundays helping out the charity organisation Food Not Bombs, which helps feed the homeless in and around the Greenside area.
He was a Top 98 finalist in Season 6 in 2010 where he showed promise but missed out on the Top 14 cut.
Josslynn Hlenti
Age: 20
Hometown: Durban
Josslynn stopped studying Music and Drama in Durban when she couldn’t afford to continue paying her fees, but she didn’t turn her back on her dreams and couldn’t deny the song inside her heart.
She is now a junior sales administrator by day and an aspiring performer by night. She was also a finalist on the M-Net reality competition High School Musical: Spotlight South Africa, in 2008.
In her free time she writes, produces, performs and works with the youth group at her local church. Her mother is her role model and has taught her that she can overcome anything in life.
Kahludi Malele
Age: 29
Hometown: Klipgat
Kahludi is married and the proud father of a daughter (who has a little brother on the way). He has been featured on a few studio recordings and is actively involved in his church choir.
Before auditioning for Idols SA he was studying to become a music producer but he’s put that on hold to pursue his singing dreams. In doing so he hopes to provide his children with a brighter future.
Kelly Fortuin
Age: 21
Hometown: Cape Town
Nickname: Kelz
Kelly has a 3- year old daughter who is the apple of her eye, and as much as she loves singing and dancing she finds motherhood more gratifying.
This funky Capetonian has immersed herself in the dancing and music industry and can’t wait to wow the Idols SA audience with her talent.
Kerry Sanssoucie
Age: 22
Hometown: Johannesburg
Kerry is the loving mother of her 2-year-old son and works full time at Builders’ Warehouse to support him, performing gigs on the weekends whenever she can.
She has been singing since a young age, and when she was 11 she started playing the guitar.
Lefa Pike
Age: 29
Hometown: Kimberley
Lefa is the youngest of four children and was raised by his loving mother, who depends on him to help support their family.
This charismatic young man is in a band called Green Orange and they perform corporates, festivals and weddings in their hometown. He also sessions with various bands in his free time.
Mandla Simelane
Age: 27
Hometown: Soweto
Nickname: Power, M’pire
Mandla is an outgoing, energetic guy who loves chilling with his crew, eating good food and listening to his top tunes.
He’s actively involved in the music industry and does marketing and promotion for some of South Africa’s big bands. He’s tried his hand at acting but maintains that music is his passion.
Mark Haze
Age: 28
Hometown: Cape Town
Nickname: Haze
Mark Haze is a married muso who dreams of being able to play music full time.
He is currently in the band 12th Avenue with his brother, and his sister-in-law helps manage them. They’ve had quite a few tracks played out on TV and radio stations across the country, including two that cracked the number one spot on 5FM.
Mark loves music as much as he does his family and he thinks “rock ‘n roll will save the world.”.
Noluthando Meje
Age: 24
Hometown: Cape Town
Nickname: Nolly
This is Nolly’s third shot at Idols SA stardom, she made it through to the Top 100 of the first season of Idols SA in 2002, but it was discovered that she was underage and she was disqualified from the competition. She was attending Camps Bay High School in Cape Town at the time.
She auditioned for the season 2 in 2003 and made it through to the Top 12 after a contestant, Francisca Blasich dropped out.
Meje was then controversially axed from the show, her elimination from the competition (she placed 12th) caused a furore when judge Marah Louw took exception to the inclusion of two white female singers over Noluthando. Louw claimed the competition was “too European” and called for an “African Idols” to replace the show.
Phaksy Mngomezulu
Full/Real Name: Phakamani Mngomezulu
Age: 20
Hometown: Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal.
Phaksi is studying a Diploma in IT Networking at Varsity College in Durban, where he stays with his older sister.
Don’t let his slight build fool you: this aspiring musician has achieved Northern Coastal and KZN Development colours in rugby and has “BMT”..
Sibusisiwe Jali
Age: 19
Hometown: Durban
Nickname: Miss J
Sibusisiwe is a vibrant young athlete who loves playing sport, dancing and staying active.
Although she won a school beauty pageant she’s not just a pretty face, which she proved when she matriculated in 2007 as one of the Top 100 achievers in KwaZulu-Natal.
She has always wanted to study music but her parents wanted her to take a more academic path.
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