by Thinus Ferreira
After 18 years Idols is finally allowing contestants to sing from their bedrooms: For 48 hours only, the 16th season of the reality singing competition is accepting online audition videos from midnight tonight.
For the first time ever, the Fremantle format show done by [SIC] Entertainment for M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) and executive produced by Gavin Wratten and Tebogo Thekisho (ProVerb), is extending the Idols talent search online beyond the traditional main South African cities.
People, especially those living in remote areas, will be able to send in an online audition from tomorrow from wherever they might be living.
No additional pop-up auditions will be held in smaller cities this year, with the production opting for the first-ever online video auditions following the way other M-Net produced shows like Survivor SA and others have switched to online audition videos only.
From midnight on Tuesday, 25 February South Africans between 16 and 30 years old can enter a 30-second singing video online at www.idolssa.tv until midnight on Thursday, 27 February.
No talking and no introductions should be included - video snippets should strictly be singing only and without using any musical instruments so that the selectors can hear the voice as clearly as possible. "Make sure that you look and sound like an Idol," says the show.
People who want to enter an online signing video can sing anything and successful candidates will get an email back from the producers telling them if their online audition was successful or not. Successful candidates will then get a chance to sing before the Idols judges in person.
Good news is that people who have already audition in person at one of the city venues for Idols can enter the online auditions again if they want to. The Idols city auditions process is wrapping up with the Johannesburg leg that remains and will take place at Carnival City on 7 March.