Idols South Africa season 18

The eighteenth season of South African Idols premiered on 17 July 2022 on the Mzansi Magic television network under the theme "Singing a Different Tune".[1] Over 9,000 contestants auditioned for the season. The season was won by Thapelo Molomo and the runner-up was Nozi Sibiya.

Idols South Africa
Season 18
Hosted byProVerb
Judges
WinnerThapelo Molomo
Runner-upNozi Sibiya
Release
Original networkMzansi Magic
Original release17 July (2022-07-17) –
13 November 2022 (2022-11-13)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 17
Next →
Season 19

Shortly after online auditions for the season were opened, it was announced that Randall Abrahams and Unathi Nkayi would not return to the show as judges.[2] In February 2022, M-Net announced that Thembi Seete and JR replaced them, joining Somizi Mhlongo on the judges panel.[3]

Finalists

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This season, instead of the usual Top 16, a Top 12 was announced on 21 August 2022.[4][5]

Contestant Age Hometown Place finished
Thapelo Molomo 29 Mokopane, Limpopo Winner
Nozi Sibiya 27 Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal Runner-up
Mpilwenhle Mokopu 24 Katlehong, Gauteng 3rd
Ty Loner 21 Eldorado Park, Gauteng 4th
Zee Arnolds 18 Cape Town, Western Cape 5th
Noxolo Mthethwa 25 Inanda, KwaZulu-Natal 6th
Kabelo Makhetha 25 Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal 7th
CeeJay Canvass 24 KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal 8th
Tesmin-Robyn Khanye 23 Katlehong, Gauteng 9th
Lerato Matsabu 27 Vaal, Gauteng 10th
Nandi Ndathane 21 Diepkloof, Gauteng 11th
Hope Mkhway 23 Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal 12th

Weekly Song Choice and Results

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Top 12: Duets with Mzansi Stars & Greatest Hits of Today

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Group 1 (28 August)

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Act Order Song — Duets with Mzansi Stars Order Song — Greatest Hits of Today Result
Zee 1 "Empini" with Kelly Khumalo 7 "Surprise" by Chlöe Safe
Thapelo 2 "Langa Linye" with Mduduzi Ncube 8 "Love Me More" by Sam Smith Safe
Hope 3 "Pretend" with Langa Mavuso 9 "Hrs and Hrs" by Muni Long Eliminated
Mpilwenhle 4 "Phatha Kahle" with Presss 10 "Positions" by Ariana Grande Safe
Kabelo 5 "Ngamkhetha" with Nomfundo Moh 11 "For Tonight" by Giveon Safe
Tesmin-Robyn 6 "Pillowtalk" with Boohle 12 "Pressure by Ari Lennox Safe

Group 2 (4 September)

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Act Order Song — Duets with Mzansi Stars Order Song — Greatest Hits of Today Result
Noxolo 1 "Kuyenyukela" with Kelly Khumalo 7 "Jerome" by Lizzo Safe
Nandi 2 "Ngimnandi" with Boohle 8 "Enough" by Fantasia Eliminated
CeeJay 3 "Isgingci" with Mduduzi Ncube 9 "Love Nwantiti" by CKay Safe
Lerato 4 "Soft Life" with Nomfundo Moh 10 "Kiss Me More" by Doja Cat Safe
Ty Loner 5 "Cry No More" with Presss 11 "Last Last" by Burna Boy Safe
Nozi 6 "Mvula" with Langa Mavuso 12 "Break My Soul by Beyoncé Safe

Top 10: Spotify's Soulful Sundays (11 September)

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Act Order Song[6] Result
Mpilwenhle 1 "Kahle" by Amanda Black Safe
Thapelo 2 "All By Myself" by Celine Dion Safe
Tesmin-Robyn 3 "More Than You" by Moneoa Safe
Zee 4 "Jik’izinto" by Zonke Safe
Kabelo 5 "Her Heart" by Anthony Hamilton Safe
Lerato 6 "I Can’t Make You Love Me" by Tank Eliminated
Ty Loner 7 "Thando" by Lloyd Cele Safe
Noxolo 8 "Masterpiece (Mona Lisa)" by Jazmine Sullivan Safe
Nozi 9 "Giving Myself" by Jennifer Hudson Safe
CeeJay 10 "Tonight (Best You Ever Had)" by John Legend Safe

Top 9: History of Music in Mzansi (18 September)

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Act Order Song[7] Result
Noxolo 1 "Shebeleza" by Joe Mafela Safe
Kabelo 2 "Ekuseni" by Ringo Madlingozi Safe
Mpilwenhle 3 "Nomalanga" by Caiphus Semenya Safe
CeeJay 4 "Send Me (South Africa)" by Hugh Masekela Safe
Tesmin-Robyn 5 "Siyaya Phambili" by Stimela Eliminated
Ty Loner 6 "Scatterlings of Africa" by Juluka Safe
Nozi 7 "Nizalwa Ngobani" by Thandiswa Mazwai Safe
Thapelo 8 "Papa" by Sankomota Safe
Zee 9 "Mama I’m Sorry" by Brenda Fassie Safe

Top 8: Parents' High School Crush (25 September)

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Act Order Song[8] Result
Nozi 1 "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack Safe
CeeJay 2 "Mas’thokoze" by Mafikizolo Eliminated
Zee 3 "(I Can’t Help) Falling in Love With You" by UB40 Safe
Kabelo 4 "Here and Now" by Luther Vandross Safe
Ty Loner 5 "Can You Stand The Rain" by New Edition Safe
Thapelo 6 "Let It Be" by The Beatles Safe
Mpilwenhle 7 "Hero" by Mariah Carey Safe
Noxolo 8 "Miss You Like Crazy" by Natalie Cole Safe

Top 7: Showstopper (2 October)

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Act Order Song [9] Result
Kabelo 1 "Yeah!" by Usher feat. Lil Jon & Ludacris Eliminated
Noxolo 2 "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" by Whitney Houston Safe
Mpilwenhle 3 "Run the World (Girls)" by Beyoncé Safe
Thapelo 4 "Di Boya Limpopo" by Master KG feat. Zanda Zakhuza & Makhadzi Safe
Zee 5 "Grown Woman" by Beyoncé Safe
Ty Loner 6 "Locked Out of Heaven" by Bruno Mars Safe
Nozi 7 "Don't Stop the Music" by Rihanna Safe

Top 6: Lifesong & Joyous Celebration (9 October)

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Act Order Song — Lifesong[10] Order Song — Joyous Celebration[10] Result
Zee 1 "Hurt" by Christina Aguilera 7 "Uzuliphathe Kahle" with Joyous Celebration Safe
Noxolo 2 "We Were Here" by Simmy 8 "My Help" with Joyous Celebration Eliminated
Ty Loner 3 "Rock with You" by Michael Jackson 9 "Who Am I?" with Joyous Celebration Safe
Nozi 4 "One Night Only" by Jennifer Holliday 10 "Wenzile" with Joyous Celebration Safe
Mpilwenhle 5 "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson 11 "Ndenzel’ Uncedo" with Joyous Celebration Safe
Thapelo 6 "I Look to You" by "Whitney Houston" 12 "Hallelujah Nkateko" with Joyous Celebration Safe

Top 5: The Babyface Songbook & Local Chart Toppers (16 October)

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Act Order Song — Babyface [11] Order Song — Local Chart Toppers[11] Result
Zee 1 "Breathe Again" by Toni Braxton 6 "Abalele" by Kabza de Small & DJ Maphorisa feat. Ami Faku Eliminated
Ty Loner 2 "The Color of Love" by Boyz II Men 7 "Mgani" by A-Reece Safe
Thapelo 3 "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men 8 "Sponky Ponky" by Jabu Khanyile Safe
Nozi 4 "Never Gonna Let You Go" by Faith Evans 9 "Asibe Happy" by Kabza de Small & DJ Maphorisa feat. Ami Faku Safe
Mpilwenhle 5 "Another Sad Love Song" by Toni Braxton 10 "Dali Nguwe" by Master KG & Wanitwa Mos feat. Nkosazana Daughter Safe

Top 4: New School Mzansi Hits & How It Should Have Been Done (23 October)

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Act Order Song — New School Mzansi Hits[12] Order Song — How It Should Have Been Done[12] Result
Mpilwenhle 1 "Khusela" by Kabza de Small feat. Msaki 5 "Jealous" by Labrinth Safe
Ty Loner 2 "Selema (Po Po)" by Musa Keys & Loui 6 "You & I (Nobody in the World)" by John Legend Eliminated
Thapelo 3 "Seasons" by Lloyiso 7 "Ndikuthandile" by Vusi Nova Safe
Nozi 4 "Thando" by Mvzzle feat. Zammy 8 "Listen" by Beyoncé Safe

Top 3: My Audition Song, Divas and Divos & Judges' Choice (30 October)

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Act Order Song — My Audition Song[13] Order Song — Divas and Divos[13] Order Song — Judges' Choice[13] Result
Nozi 1 "Best Part" by Daniel Caesar feat. H.E.R. 4 "Try a Little Tenderness" by Aretha Franklin 7 "Rise Up" by Andra Day Safe
Mpilwenhle 2 "Ke Mo Afrika" by Maleh 5 "Angel of Mine" by Monica 8 "A Long Walk" by Jill Scott Eliminated
Thapelo 3 "Esphambanweni" by Kelly Khumalo 6 "When a Man Loves a Woman" by Michael Bolton 9 "So Amazing" by Luther Vandross Safe

Top 2 (6 November)

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Act Order Song — Idols-produced Single[14] Order Song — Viewers' Choice[14] Order Song — Song of the Season[14] Result
Thapelo 1 "Phanda" by Thapelo Molomo 3 "Thanayi" by Hugh Masekela 5 "Let It Be" by The Beatles Winner
Nozi 2 "Idliso" by Nozi Sibiya 4 "Moments Away" by Mango Groove 6 "Giving Myself" by Jennifer Hudson Runner-up
  • Before her elimination, Mpilwenhle Mokopu performed her single "Ngiyazifela".[15]

Elimination Chart

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Colour key
  – Winner
  – Runner-up
  – Eliminated
  – Wild Card
  – Withdrew
Weekly results per act
Act Top 12 Top 10 Top 9 Top 8 Top 7 Top 6 Top 5 Top 4 Top 3 Top 2: Finale
Group 1 Group 2
Thapelo Molomo Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Winner
Nozi Sibiya Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Runner-up
Mpilwenhle Mokopu Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe 3rd place Eliminated
Ty Loner Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe 4th place Eliminated
Zee Arnolds Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe 5th place Eliminated
Noxolo Mthethwa Safe Safe Safe Safe Safe 6th place Eliminated
Kabelo Makhetha Safe Safe Safe Safe 7th place Eliminated
CeeJay Canvass Safe Safe Safe 8th place Eliminated
Tesmin-Robyn Khanye Safe Safe 9th place Eliminated
Lerato Matsabu Safe 10th place Eliminated
Nandi Ndathane 11th place Eliminated
Hope Mkhway 12th place Eliminated

References

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  1. ^ Legodi, Simangele (8 July 2022). "SINGING A DIFFERENT TUNE: IDOLS SA SEASON 18 IS BACK". EWN. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  2. ^ Madibogo, Julia (23 January 2022). "Idols SA bids farewell to Randall Abrahams and Unathi Nkayi". News24. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
  3. ^ Mphande, Joy (16 February 2022). "Thembi Seete and JR join Somizi as 'Idols SA season 18' judges". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  4. ^ Zuma, Mbalenhle (22 August 2022). "Meet your amazing 'Idols SA Season 18' top 12 contestants". Sunday World.
  5. ^ Seemela, Masego (22 August 2022). "Crowd faves make it to Idols SA top 12". SowetanLIVE.
  6. ^ "Mzanzi, meet your season 18 top 10 finalists for 'Idols SA'". IOL. 12 September 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  7. ^ Valentine, Venecia (19 September 2022). "Mzansi vote for their 'Idols SA' season 18 top 9". IOL. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  8. ^ Khathi, Mzwandile (29 September 2022). "Idols SA top 8 give spectacular performances". Soweto Urban. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  9. ^ Valentine, Venecia (4 October 2022). "'Idols SA' season 18 announces its Top 7 in a blur of lights, props and dashing outfits". IOL. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  10. ^ a b Mbhele, Sandisiwe (10 October 2022). "Idols SA's top six bring out the joy". The Citizen. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  11. ^ a b Selisho, Kaunda (17 October 2022). "Idols SA top 5 announced after 13 million votes". The Citizen. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  12. ^ a b Mbhele, Sandisiwe (24 October 2022). "Idols SA top 4 reactions: 'Somizi must apologise to Llyoiso'". The Citizen. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  13. ^ a b c Dayile, Qhama (31 October 2022). "Meet Idols SA season 18 top three contestants". News24. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  14. ^ a b c Magagula, Nompumelelo (7 November 2022). "Idols Season 18: Who will take the crown among these two finalists?". City Press. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  15. ^ Magadla, Mahlohonolo (7 November 2022). "'Idols SA was a stepping stone for my music career' – Mpilwenhle on joining the show". True Love. Retrieved 13 November 2022.