End of the Road for Nhla (Idols' report)

This article can be found on the Mnet Idols website:
http://www.idols.mnet.co.za/Article/DisplayArticle.asp?Id=310

The unanimous opinions of the media and results of radio polls held around the country were in line with Randall’s prediction that Nhlanhla’s second song during Sunday’s Spectacular (13 Nov) was his swansong.

During an agonising live Results Show, tallied results of over one million viewers’ revealed that V, Nicky and Karin received the most amount of votes and earned themselves a place in the semi-finals, while the only men in the Idols Top 12 found themselves in an undesirable place: the bottom two.

For Gift, the chance to secure the crown of Idol 2005 remains a possibility. For Nhlanhla, the finalist receiving the least amount of votes, the Idols road has come to an unfortunate end – on the eve of his twenty-third birthday.

During a post-show press conference, in reference to Dave Thompson’s repeated observations that his tone had changed, Nhlanhla maintained that ''nothing happened. I don’t think my voice changed.'' Instead, he admits that he went through a rough patch in which he wasn’t enjoying some of the things that he was doing and that after performances like The Bee Gees’ ''How Deep Is Your Love'' and Puff Daddy’s ''Every Breath You Take'', started to doubt himself. Changing his mindset earlier last week and feeling comfortable with the songs he had chosen, he managed to relax and enjoy himself – albeit too late to make any further headway in a stiff competition.

Nhlanhla’s own life has also irrevocably been changed by the Idols experience. ''I am not going back to gardening!'' he joked. ''Maybe one day I’d like to work in my own garden, but not to earn a living. Now there’s a better way for me to make money!''

Having planted his musical seed in the SA industry and enjoyed unparalleled exposure through Idols, Nhlanhla is ready to embark on his solo career, hoping recording companies ''are hungry for me!'' Taking Dave’s advice, he wants to concentrate on Afropop and follow in the footsteps of local stars Nthando and Ringo.

* * *
Comments: It may have been his swansong at Idols, but his fans know this is only the beginning of better things for our star.
* * *