Thapelo takes Idols SA season 18
Idols SA season 18 has Thapelo Molomo as the winner and Nozi Sibiya as runner-up.
With 22 million viewer votes this week – bringing the season total to over 120 million – it was a night to remember as the 29-year-old South African Police Service psychologist emerged victorious in front of a full house at Tshwane’s Heartfelt Arena, taking to his knees and praying onstage after his name was called out. He then performed his debut solo single, Phanda.
Alongside the Idols SA crown, Molomo walks away with an impressive prize haul of just over R1 million cash, made up of R350 000 in a Standard Bank MyMo account, R300 000 from Spotify and R350 000 from Mzansi Magic; access to a Standard Bank wealth manager; a Toyota Starlet; a fashion voucher from Truworths and his live show outfits, all to the value of R100 000; R85 000 worth of musical equipment from Yamaha; and a recording contract with Kalawa Jazmee Records.
As runner-up, Sibiya also wins a recording contract with Kalawa Jazmee, as well as: R50 000 in a Standard Bank MyMo account; a voucher from Truworths and her live show outfits to the value of R50 000; and R30 000 from Spotify.
During the finale, Molomo and Sibiya performed their Showstoppers – Master KG and Makhadzi’s Di Boya Limpopo and Rihanna’s Don’t Stop the Music, respectively. The two then duetted, performing Rihanna’s Lift Me Up, with the previously eliminated top 8 contestants as backup singers.
While the show had opened with a glittering rendition of Arya Star’s Bloody Samaritan by the season 18 top 10, the finale was also filled with memorable superstar performances: kwaito legend Oskido collaborating with Mthandazo Gayta, King Talkzin and Deep Sen; season 17 winner Berry; rapper Costa Tich and Alfa Kat; and Nigerian megastar D’Banj.
The judges also put their money where their mouth was by taking to the stage to perform. JR Bogopa sang a medley with award-winning rapper AKA, Thembi Seete and her Boom Shaka bandmates played some of their kwaito classics, and Somizi Mhlongo and host ProVerb took on Lil Nas X’s Industry Baby.