Arno a judge on talent search series
POPULAR rock star Arno Carstens, the award-winning singer Zonke and noted record producer and performer Oskido have been named as judges for the popular X-Factor South Africa.
Scheduled to start on SABC1 at 6pm on September 6, the show is offering a grand prize of a recording contract with Sony Music and R300 000 in cash.
The good news is that the grand finale is scheduled to be held in Durban on December 13, while eight live gala shows are also to be held in Durban.
Auditions for the new series have already been held in Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Polokwane, Joburg and Nelspruit.
The X Factor South Africa will be broadcast over 15 weeks – with seven pre-recorded shows covering all the drama of the auditions, boot camp and home visits.
Andile Ncube will be fronting the show, guiding the X Factor South Africa action and providing contestants with encouragement and a shoulder to cry on, as well as the more challenging task of keeping the judges in check.
SABC spokesman Maijang Mpherwane said the channel was delighted about the judging panel choices.
“They have years of experience both here and abroad. This is a launch pad for somebody with talent, but you also have to have the ambition, the work ethic and everything else. These judges understand this.”
During his career as the lead singer of Springbok Nude Girls and subsequently as a solo artist, Carstens has released 10 studio albums, five as the lead singer of Springbok Nude Girls, one as half of the Electronica project Bhelltower and four as a solo artist.
He has chalked up 20 top 10 singles, won five South African Music Awards and shared the stage with such legends of the music world as U2, The Rolling Stones and REM.
Zonke, a multiple South African Music Awards winner, comes to The X Factor South Africa with an impressive musical pedigree. Her father, Vuyisile Dikana, was the drummer with Black Slave and the Flamingo and her late stepmother, Anneline Malebo, sang with Joy, of Paradise Road fame.
Oskido is an awardwinning producer, performer, radio presenter, record producer and entrepreneur.