Here’s what the Top 16 gals are performing:
Be – ‘How Come You Don’t Call Me?’
Like many great pop songs – The Bangles’ ‘Manic Monday’, Sinead O’Connor’s ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ – ‘How Come You Don’t Call Me?’ was written by the prolific, dearly departed Prince. A ballad with elements of gospel that was originally titled ‘How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore?’, it was a non-album B-side to his smash hit ‘1999’. Over the years, it’s been recorded by many artists, including Stephanie Mills and Bilal, but it’s the Alicia Keys version that Be will cover – it was the third single on her 2001 debut ‘Songs In A Minor’.
Bongi – ‘All The Man That I Need’
Originally recorded in 1982 by Linda Clifford (then titled ‘All The Man I Need’), the New York Times hailed this song as an “experience of sexual hero worship.” This was after the tune was delivered to Clive Davis at Arista Records, who bequeathed it to his biggest artist at the time, Whitney Houston. Released in 1990, the track became Houston’s ninth Billboard number one and earned her a nomination for Best Vocal Performance, Female at the 1992 Grammys. Fun fact: the sax solo? That’s Kenny G!
Dee – ‘Rolling In The Deep’
Did you know that ‘Respect’, one of Aretha Franklin’s signature songs, is a cover? Well, it is – Otis Redding first recorded it two years before she did in 1967. ‘Rolling In The Deep’, which became Aretha’s last single before her death in 2018, is a cover version too. Written by Adele and producer Paul Epworth, it was the lead single and first track on her sophomore album, ‘21’, and it got her a first American number one in 2010. As of 2018, having sold over 20 million copies in the US, it’s the best-selling song ever by a female performer. She describes the track as “a dark blues-y gospel tune” and we can’t wait to hear what Dee does with it.
Jerodine – ‘Something He Can Feel’
‘Something He Can Feel’ was composed by Curtis Mayfield for the 1976 film ‘Sparkle’. Recorded by Aretha Franklin, it was her only US hit in the second half of the ‘70s. It’s been covered a lot, including in 1988 by hip hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa, with Boy George on guest vocals (!); and in 2012 for the remake of ‘Sparkle’, performed by Carmen Ejogo, with Jordin Sparks on backing vocals. But the most famous cover is the 1992 version by R&B group En Vogue (who retitled it ‘Giving Him Something He Can Feel’). Described by one writer as a “ghetto love fable”, it was the second single off their ‘Funky Divas’ album, which sold five million copies and scored them five Grammy nominations.
Melanin – ‘True Colours’
OK, so it’s ‘True Colors’ in the US, but Melanin will be giving us ‘True Colours’, Mzansi style. It was originally the title track and first single on American singer Cyndi Lauper’s second album in 1986. Her last US number one in the US, it received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. In 1998 it was recorded by Phil Collins – with Babyface on backing vocals. In 2003, it became the theme song for the Rugby World Cup, sung by Kasey Chambers. At a TED Talks Education event in 2013, it was performed for kids and teachers by John Legend. Finally, Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick did a version for the ‘Trolls’ movie.
Ndoni – ‘Fast Car’
This song was a folk-rock smash for Tracy Chapman in 1988 – a tale of a working poor woman trying to escape the cycle of poverty. When she performed it at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute, it rocketed into the charts, later securing two Grammy nominations, for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. It’s been covered hundreds of times, including by Justin Bieber, Kelly Clarkso, and Daughty, but Ndoni will be reviving the 2015 version by UK DJ/producer Jonas Blue and singer Dakota. They imbued the song with some tropical house swing and it ended up charting higher than the original.
Ntokozo – ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’
This blues and soul classic was originally recorded in 1968 by Etta James, and it’s been through a number of hands since, including Clarence Carter, Rod Stewart, and BB King. In 2017, disco diva Dua Lipa did a live version. The version that’s best known may be the one that Beyoncé did for the 2008 film ‘Cadillac Records’, but the cover Ntokozo will tackle was recorded in 2013 by Vusi Nova for his debut album ‘Walk into Light’ – he took the mournful original and turned it into a jazzy, soulful, midtempo dance tune.
Zama – ‘Crazy’
This song was written by Guy Sigsworth, who’s also worked with Madonna and Britney Spears (among many others). Produced by Trevor Horn in 1991 and recorded by Seal for his self-titled debut, it was a huge hit, reaching the top 10 in both the UK and US. Seal wrote the song in the wake of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Tiananmen Square massacre, when he says, “The world was changing and I felt profound things happening.” It won him an Ivor Novello award for songwriting, and it was memorably covered in 2005 by Alanis Morissette. The version Zama performs was the stripped-down, acoustic version Tori Kelly put together for an appearance on Sirius XM is 2015.
Season 16 of Idols SA broadcasts on Sundays at 17:00 on Mzansi Magic Channel 161. Get exclusive updates and a behind the scenes look at all the action right here on our site. Don't forget to join the conversation by following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #IdolsSA.