Idols SA Season 12: Terra Cox bows out of the competition as the going gets even tougher

Terra Cox’s exit on Sunday tonight proved yet again that there is no “sure thing” on Idols SA, and that the reality singing competition is anyone’s game.

The blonde-haired contestant was an early fan favourite. However, his recent song choices and performances left the judges underwhelmed and receiving the least number of votes for the week.

But it was not all doom and gloom. The Top Four enjoyed a 72-hour whirlwind visit to the Big Apple last week, where they took on the sites, rehearsed and met American Idol judge and talk show host Harry Connick JR.

Former Idols contestant Shekinah returned in front of the judges as an award-winning vocalist, performing Black Coffee’s the chart-topping track, Your Eyes. It was a site to behold!

Back on to this year’s contestants, Tebogo and Thami opened the show with a duet of Don’t Let the Sun Go Down by George Michael feat Elton John. Noma and Terra Cox followed with Hurt You by Babyface and Toni Braxton, shortly before the voting results were announced.

This week the Top Three performed twice more, and their spirited acts showed how much they were fighting to get to the finish line.

Tebogo led with Ngoma by Zahara, followed by Michael Jackson’s You Are Not Alone on piano. The judges were bowled over. “Your range is extraordinary,” declared Gareth. Somizi proclaimed: “You have done your best and your best is good enough.” Unathi followed with “You are making all the right decisions at the right time.” And Randall announced that “tonight you have made the right choices.

Thami followed with an emotive To Make You Feel My Love by Adele and channelled his inner Motown funk with Let’s Get It on by Marvin Gaye. Somizi told him he deserves to be on that stage as part of the Top Three, while an impressed Gareth showered him with compliments and called Thami “an old soul”. Randall also added his accolades. “This is testimony to how hard you’ve worked and how much you want to be here.”

The last woman standing, Noma started off with Kelly Price’s As We Lay by Kelly Price and closed the show with Beyoncé’s Daddy Lessons. While Randall and Gareth were underwhelmed by the first song, Unathi showered her with compliments. “You killed it! I’m proud of you, you are deserving to be here. Randall and Gareth did not like the first song.”

With the race to the finale as tight as a drum, Randall reiterated that this is anyone’s game. It’s going to be a phenomenal finish!