89 aspiring singers from across the length and breadth of South Africa have emerged with a coveted Golden Ticket from the lengthy audition process for Idols Season 8.

And one of them will be the next South African Idol!

The countrywide audition process kicked off in Johannesburg on the first weekend in February and concluded over Easter weekend at the Sandton Convention Centre.

“Jo’burg delivered a cornucopia, a panoply, a smörgåsbord of musical diversity!” Idols judge Gareth Cliff enthused after the Idols director called “Cut!” yesterday.

And as for the audition journey of the past two months, “it was a veritable auditory odyssey”, says Gareth, “with a fair amount of oddity as well to spice things up!”

“I was mildly entertained,” his colleague Randall Abrahams allowed reluctantly.

Now that the audition phase is over, Randall says the Golden Ticket winners will start with a clean slate in Sun City, at least in his book. “I look forward to the next phase, when the individual singers coalesce in a conglomerate of finalists!” he says.

Unathi Mesengana agrees that the Joburg auditions delivered the best results. “I think it’s because Jozi is the hub of South Africa’s entertainment industry,” she theorises, “and the contestants have a good understanding of the level that we expect from them.”

Unathi thinks “the ladies stood out” in this year’s auditions. “They’re going to open a can of whup-ass in Sun City!” she predicts, as long as they stay focused. “They should not let themselves down now,” she cautions.

This is how the Golden Tickets were handed out throughout the country:
Gauteng (JHB and Soweto auditions): 39
KZN (Durban auditions)                   : 21
Western Cape (Cape Town auditions): 29
TOTAL countrywide                          89

The next phase of the competition, the arduous Theatre Phase at Sun City fondly known as “Hell Week”, kicks off in the Kingdom of The Sun next weekend.

Images courtesy of Mnet.