BRAAI MASTER SIZZLE TIME!
THE LONGEST DATE, VOICE SA & REAL HOUSEWIVES
The Voice SA Season 3 Sundays M-Net (*101) 17:00
The mentors are as important to reality show The Voice (2010- current for original series The Voice Holland) as the contestants. And they each have their own flavour that lets them stand out. The Voice US (2011- current, see p47) has tattooed prettyboy Adam Levine and The Voice UK (2012- current) has singer, producer and hat-loving Will.i.am. For season 3 of The Voice SA (2016- current), hip-hop musician and fashion-savvy Rikhado “Riky Rick” Makhado is the mentor who’ll stand out most – you’ll spot his bright, pattern-heavy shirts from across the lounge. But while he’s comfortable in his signature gear and behind the mic, the mentor seat had Riky a little on edge. “I was nervous when I first got into that seat during the Blind Auditions,” says the 31-yearold, adding that returning coach Lira and his fellow newbies Francois van Coke and Riana Nel helped him settle into his new role. “Although we are competing against each other, we get along well. We’re going all out to win – everything is bigger and better.”
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
The foursome will use their industry knowledge and musical skills to mentor their team through the rounds, but at the same time they’ll experience other vocal sounds, possibly for the first time. Riky is an ace at hip-hop, but he has an overall gameplan in place: “I am looking for a variety of singers and sounds. I want to work with someone who isn’t scared to let their character shine through when they’re singing,” adds the musician. Putting together a team is the hardest part of the season and it’s something that the new mentors will have to get to grips with if they want to get an edge on Lira, who is back for the third time. “It [the team selection] is like listening to Michael Jackson’s Greatest Hits album but you are only allowed to pick a 12 songs for your playlist. It’s tricky but equally exciting,” says the mentor.
FACING THE MUSIC
As a hip-hop lyricist, Riky has learnt to think on his feet and it’s something he is going to impart on his 12-singer team. “I usually improvise [on stage] which helps read my audience. I want my team to feel just as free when they perform,” explains Riky. He wants them to engage with the audience and enjoy the spotlight. “They must let go of any fears and enjoy their performances without restrictions.” He already has an example for his future team to look at, having been a fan of The Voice SA since season 1 and singling out season 2 star Amanda Faku: “I really like her music. She is a good singer and is doing well, a great example of this show.”
CHANGING TUNES
This isn’t his first time on a talent show (Riky was a judge on season 1 of NXT LVL, 2017- current), but The Voice SA is different. “This is the cream of reality talent series. There’s endless talent on show,” with Riky adding that even his fellow judges are on a different level: “They all bring something unique. They are great at what they do, so I have my eye on all of them!”