by Thinus Ferreira
There are multiple ongoing indicators - besides the tanking ratings and scaled-back media liaison - that M-Net's Idols on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) is a much-reduced show and far down from the stature it once had years before in seasons prior: Case in point is the winner's recording contract which has apparently quietly contracted from an album to just an EP.
The winner of Idols on Mzansi Magic got an album deal in seasons past. The winner of Idols now apparently just gets an EP from Kalawa Jazemee Records. TVSA was first to note the change.
The difference between an album and an EP is that an album has over half an hour of music with multiple songs. An EP has mostly four to six songs, and a running time of 30 minutes or less.
The season 17 Idols winner Berenike Trytsman, known as Berry, saw her "EP" - not an album - entitled "Unspoken Words" with 6 songs released just before the new season 18 winner, police trauma counsellor Thapelo Molomo was announced this past Sunday.
Boitumelo Tsele, publicist at The Duma Collective paid to communicate about Idols on behalf of Mzansi Magic didn't respond to multiple calls this week about Idols.
Thapelo Molomo says he will remain in his job at the South African police service but will try to fit in singing professionally.
It's indicative that he probably doesn't see winning Idols as being able to launch him into a full singing career - especially not if you now just get a downscaled prize like an "EP" and not even an album, which gets released a year later and barely a week before another winner is announced.
At a press briefing on Sunday night after the Idols season finale which Mzansi Magic only told some media about and which used to be inclusive of all press in years past, Shirley Adonisi, M-Net director of local entertainment channels, reportedly said that Mzansi Magic is happy with how Idols season 18 turned out.
Neither Shirley Adonisi nor Gavin Wratten, Idols director, mentioned or said anything about Idols' sinking Mzansi Magic viewership on DStv which had lost half its total audience over a year.
"Idols is a brand that we believe in and is a brand that connects us to our youth in the country. It promotes nationalism and healthy competition while it gives young people a stage to showcase their talent," Shirley Adonisi said.
