Only obstacle is funding for SA’s karaoke queen
THE COUNTRY is the closest it has been in 11 years to competing in the Karaoke World Championships.
If funding becomes available, the songstress to fly the flag will be 22-year-old Denice Marais, from Heidelberg in the southern Cape.
The last time South Africa competed was in 2006, when Cape Town karaoke king David September nabbed second place.
Marais, the current SA champion, says she hopes the opportunity materialises.
From very humble beginnings, Marais has never travelled the world. When she was younger she would use her school holidays to milk cows and contribute to her family’s income. She now produces handmade photo frames which are distributed and sold across the province.
“I would sing at events and participate in competitions. When the SA champs were held in Albertinia, I almost didn’t make it because I didn’t have transport. I waited for my uncle to finish work and fortunately we got there in time,” Marais said.
She won the crowd over with her rendition of Adele’s Don’t You Remember.
“I get very excited when I think about it. It’s a wonderful opportunity,” Marais said.
September is now the director of the SA Karaoke Championship, and said they were unable to afford to send anyone to represent the country since 2006.
It costs €3 500 (R54 780) to register for the competition, September said, and they were working to get more funding.
On September 2 at the Duivenhoks Community Centre in Heidelberg, Denice will be performing to raise funds.
Tickets cost R20 for adults and R10 for children.
“Sponsors made promises that they never followed through on. Denice is our representative, and we are working hard to get her there,” September said.
The annual Karaoke World Championships Finals, labelled the “most prestigious amateur singing contest in the world”, will be held in Helsinki, Finland between November 14 and 18.
To help Marais get to Helsinki, call 081 459 0381