Will tears of a superfan mean magic for Paxton?
Fans are an important aspect of an artist’s career.
Rihanna has her “navy”, Lady Gaga has her “monsters”, Justin Bieber has his “beliebers” and Idols South Africa hopeful Paxton Fielies has the tears of a South African Air Force sports instructor.
Fielies, 17, is one of the final four contestants in the competition, which is nearing its finale on November 19.
But it’s not only the contestants who have been enjoying their moment on camera.
Family friend Andre Kenned can be seen each week crying whenever Fielies sings.
Kenned, who works in the sports department at the air force, said his colleagues knew him as a stone-faced sports instructor.
“I never cry, but when Paxton sings she moves me. The emotions come from having known her since she was a child. When she sings I get chicken skin, my hair raises and then I just cry. She’s our little dynamite.”
Kenned said it was not just her voice, but the thought that Fielies was inspiring young people in some of South Africa’s poorest areas that made him emotional.
Many have mistaken Kenned for Fielies’s father, which her father Paul de Bruyn said he found amusing.
“He is not related to us, the family actually had a nice laugh about it because after he was on TV everyone started saying he’s Paxton’s dad. I don’t mind being in the background. I always tell Paxton that I’m her Dr Phil behind the scenes,” De Bruyn said.
Last week fans rallied behind their favourite and managed to send in a recordbreaking 12 million votes. This week the remaining contestants — Fielies, Mthokozisi Ndaba, Phindile Dube and Botlhale Phora — will fight for their spot in the final three and a trip to London.
KwaZulu-Natal hopeful Ndaba is hoping his traumatic start to the competition will mean he has a triumphant end to it.
The 25-year-old from KwaMashu, who was mugged and shot after his Durban audition, said the idea that he gets to perform for millions of people every week “puzzles” him.
“Before Idols I was hustling alone. It’s very hard to hustle alone. Now that I’ve passed the top four, I want to go all the way. If I win, it will be a bonus and a blessing from God,” Ndaba said. He is already writing a book, to be titled Pain Pays, which he hopes will inspire others.
Idols SA is live every Sunday from the State Theatre in Pretoria, and broadcast on Mzansi Magic DStv 161 at 5pm.