IN THE VOICE SA, IT’S ABOUT QUALITY
Music leads the entertainment line-up this week, but cooking, travelling and research into SA’s deadly snakes all make for riveting viewing
IT SEEMS one thing global television audiences never get tired of – particularly in South Africa – are reality singing competitions. Auditions were recently held for the new local season of Idols and, on Sunday, The Voice South Africa begins on M-Net 101 at 5.30pm.
Coaches Lira, Bobby van Jaarsveld, Kahn Morbee and Karen Zoid return to their swivelling red chairs for a second season and I will never be able to watch this the same way again after hearing Marc Lottering’s very funny take on this show (of which he is a huge fan). Lottering’s Hashtag Marc Lottering is back at The Baxter for a second season, which runs until February 4.
This time, Port Elizabeth was included in the countrywide search for South Africa’s new singing sensation, with Cape Town, Durban and Joburg.
During these initial audition sessions, which were not filmed for television, the talent had the opportunity to show an anonymous panel of music experts that they had the vocal prowess to perform on screen at the show’s famous “Blind Auditions”. That’s when The Voice SA coaches listen to the singers with their red chairs turned away from the stage, basing their decisions purely on what they hear. The honour of singing for the coaches will only go to the best of the best singers from the countrywide auditions.
M-Net’s head of publicity, Lani Lombard, said: “In The Voice SA it’s indeed all about quality. From the start, there’s no doubt every person on this proudly South African show can sing. The question is whether or not the coaches want them in their team and believe they can take them all the way to the top. The phenomenal talent from The Voice SA season one has set the bar incredibly high.”
Season one winner Richard Stirton has topped the iTunes charts three times – with the songs he performed at the semi-finals and final, as well as the single he released with Universal Music as part of his prize package. He was also voted number one when Talpa, the company that produces the show around the globe, pitted the most recent winners from 23 countries against each other in an online poll. Stirton’s and runner-up Gavin Edwards’s full albums were released at the end of last year.
For more information, visit www.mnet.tv/thevoice or keep up with breaking news via Twitter @ voicesa with the hashtag #TheVoiceSA or on The Voice SA page on Facebook.
TOMORROW
The Simphiwe Dana Symphony Experience (BET 129, 8pm): This musical production was nine years in the making and the funds for the project were secured all the way back then.
The idea was to have Dana perform with two guests from anywhere on the African continent and the selection was Asa from Nigeria and Concho Buika from Equatorial Guinea. Dana did not only perform, she worked on putting the project together under her company, Black Carrot Creative Solutions. The concert – with a 60-piece orchestra, a 30-piece choir and a dance troupe – took place late last year and after it premieres on BET Africa, it will be available to buy on DVD and CD.
Housekeeping: Season 10 of The Big Bang Theory goes on a short break, during which a previous episode will be aired. The comedy returns with new episodes from February 15 at 8pm.
TONIGHT
Deadliest South Africa (Animal Planet, 9.05pm): Kurdt Greenwood, who is an advocate for the preservation of snakes in southern Africa, searches for South Africa’s 12 deadliest snakes in this new three-part series.
He travels throughout southern Africa to find these deadly serpents in their natural habitats and, using his hands, demonstrate his abilities in handling these snakes.
By shining the spotlight on these notoriously feared creatures, Greenwood hopes to educate and inspire people to see the value of every one of them, particularly those that are most terrifying.
Through education, he hopes to form an understanding between man and serpent because if the correct measures are taken when confronting a snake, no one needs to get hurt.
SUNDAY
Wingin’ It (M-Net 101, 5pm): In this cheeky new travel series, local hotties Janez Vermeiren and Siv Ngesi go on an adventure to some of the world’s most exotic cities.
With no plan, no itinerary and only 48 hours to see, taste and experience the best each far-flung location has to offer, Wingin’ It is a fast-paced plunge into the world’s most fascinating and eclectic destinations seen through the eyes of two diverse and competitive best buddies.
Lombard says: “These heartthrobs certainly don’t visit the world’s run-of-the-mill travel brochure type of hot spots and tourist attractions. They land in cities you might never have thought of exploring, or even heard of, but which may just, after you’ve seen their mischievous adventures, end up on your bucket list. It’s a great, fun-filled show that will put a smile on your face – and awaken the explorer in you.”
Janez and Siv will be wingin’ it in places such as Baku, Ho Chi Minh City, Bogota, La Paz and Kathmandu, and will show you the lesser-known side of Istanbul, Bangkok, Tokyo, Mexico City, Havana and Reunion Island.
IN THE WEEK
MasterChef Junior (M-Net 101, Tuesday at 6.30pm): Stepping into the grown-up shoes of MasterChef Australia, which vacates this time slot on Monday, the tiny contestants are more than capable of tackling the task at hand. This is the US version with judges Graham Elliott, Gordon Ramsay and Christina Tosi. Prepare to be amazed.
Is OJ Innocent? The Missing Evidence (ID Xtra, Tuesday at 9pm): Following the critically acclaimed The People v OJ Simpson: American Crime Story, the former football player is hot property right now.
This six-part documentary series sets out to challenge the evidence presented during the famous trial. It’s narrated by Emmy Award-winning actor and activist Martin Sheen and features exclusive new interviews with the families of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman.
The series follows investigators as they re-open the case that captivated the world, exposing the facts that were overlooked by authorities and questioning and dissecting each pivotal move in the original investigation.
From the infamous Bronco chase to updated forensics and DNA data to the examination of a potential murder weapon, each hour-long episode explores new possibilities and theories about what might really have happened on that fateful summer evening more than 20 years ago.
All programming information is supplied by the channels and is at the time of going to print.