A queen and an Idol
Paxton wins
Paxton Fielies became one of the youngest winners of Idols SA last night when she knocked out Mthokozisi Ndaba to earn the title.
The spectacular finale took place at the Carnival City Big Top Arena in Brakpan, east of Johannesburg, and was a great array of colour and dance as the two finalists went head to head. But at the end Fielies earned more votes to outfox the KwaMashu crooner.
“It was my risk taker year and it paid off,” said the 17year-old from Bishop Lavin in Cape Town who banked R1.2million in cash and a new car, along with a recording contract with Gallo Music.
Runner-up Ndaba could not attend the press conference immediately after the results were announced live on television, asking for some time to “compose” himself.
Fielies is a Grade 11 student at Belhar School of the Arts and said she would still finish her studies while doing shows.
She said being on the show grounded her, adding that she experienced new things.
“I won’t mind relocating to Joburg, not saying I will,” she laughed.
She said celebrating her birthday on the show was “amazing”.
“Performing on my birthday has been a dream, working on my birthday was great. Idols was a platform for me to grow as a person and an artist. It prepared me for the industry.”
She will be going into studio in January to record her album. It was announced that Fielies won’t be going on holiday soon as she is fully booked until the end of the year with performances.
“My goal is to make it internationally. I’d advice other 17year-old girls to stay far from being timid, make that dream a reality. There is no limit to what you can do and achieve if you believe in yourself and work hard.” Another youngster to win Idols SA was Jody Williams, also from Cape Town, in 2007. Mzansi Magic congratulated Fielies on the incredible win. “We believe the Idols platform is only the start to a career that will go from strength to strength,” said Nondumiso Mabece, head of publicity for M-Net local entertainment channels.
“We are grateful to the Mzansi Magic viewers who continue to support the show by watching and voting.”
The finalists revisited some of their past favourite performances that included Fielies’s rendition of Stand Up For Love by Destiny’s Child, while Ndaba took on R Kelly’s The Storm Is Over Now.
They teamed up for a duet of Shekinah and Kyle Deutsch’s hit song Back To The Beach.
Fielies also performed her new single Demonstrate.
This season saw a record breaking 98 million votes, 18% increase from last year, with 30 million votes just this week.