VIDEO: The Voice SA Season 2: Sad Goodbye for Tender Mavundla, as the Top 8 becomes Top 7

#TeamLira’s’s Tender Mavundla had to bid a sad farewell to The Voice South Africa Season 2 tonight [Sunday, 11 June] after she had received the fewest votes from the viewing public in this week’s Top 8 vote.

 Tender’s blistering rendition of Brenda Fassie’s “Vulindlela” earned her three out of four coach turns in the initial Blind auditions of the competition and a spot on #TeamLira. She was the first of Lira’s singers to proceed through to the Knock-Out rounds, and in the second Live Showstopper show on 29 May, Lira chose Tender as her final Coach’s Save for her performance of the Tina Turner classic, “Proud Mary”.

But now, with no more saves left to the Coaches, it is solely up to the fans to decide every week which singers deserve one more chance, and who has to go. This week the Top 7 performed an eclectic mix of songs from different decades to sing their way into the viewers’ hearts.

#TeamBobby’s Caroline Brussow (32) from Bloemfontein kicked the show off channeling her inner Adele with “Rolling In The Deep”. Lira thought it was a professional performance but cautioned Caroline Grace to always try to select songs that will show her ability off. Kahn Morbee agreed that it looked like Caroline had been doing professional shows for years, and her Coach Bobby van Jaarsveld commended his protégé on her effort, because Adele songs are notoriously difficult, he noted.
Carole Grace’s voting number is 13.

PJ Pretorius from Secunda (26) was up next, representing #TeamKaren with the Ed Sheeran ballad “Photograph”. “As you can hear, the audience loved it, “Kahn noted, “and I think sometimes that says more than I can say.” Bobby agreed: “From their side they really like you a lot, and from our side, we think you’re an awesome guy,” he told PJ. And Coach Karen said PJ is a “true troubadour”, who breaks people’s hearts when he sings. “It’s effortless,” she marveled.
PJ’s voting number is 07.

Bela Bela’s Fatman from #TeamKahn kept his choice local, lekker, and very close to home with coach Karen Zoid’s ballad “As Musiek Begin Speel”. Karen thanked him for singing a song that was very close to her heart. “You are that person, in the song, who keeps singing,” she said. “I really think you did a stellar job,” Lira said, and commended Fatman for picking an Afrikaans song. “It’s a huge market and you cannot ignore it,” she pointed out. “You’ve known from the minute you did your first song exactly who are you are as an artist, and that’s very important.” said proud Coach Kahn Morbee.
Fatman’s voting number is 02.

#TeamLira’s Luke Lovemore (23) from Cape Town took the show in a slightly alternative direction with the Rag ‘n Bone Man chart-topper, “Human”. “Flip, that was amazing!” said Coach Bobby and Karen agreed. “You old rock ‘n roller, you!” she grinned. “When he’s a little bit ‘bad’, he’s so good!” she teased. And his Coach Lira thanked her protégé for taking direction so well and always improving, week by week.
Luke’s voting number is 10.

#TeamBobby’s musical theatre veteran Josh Ansley (31) from Johannesburg serenaded his fans with the timeless old Otis Redding classic, “When a Man Loves a Woman”. Lira revealed that she had pulled Josh aside this week and encouraged him to choose a ballad that would show his vulnerability, “and you did it! That was amazing!” she raved. Kahn urged Josh not to choose the safe route of theatre or being a cover artist. “I want you to promise to be brave, to have the conviction to establish yourself as an original artist,” he said. “And we can’t wait to hear your own songs,” Bobby added.
Josh’s voting number is 15.

For #TeamKaren, Kimberly’s Samantha Leonard (24) took on the challenge of the massive Queen anthem from the Eighties, “I Want It All”. “That was true rock ‘n roll style!” said Bobby. “And then you still looked classy doing too!” Kahn said it felt like he was watching a really expensive production by someone like Katy Perry or Lady Gaga, and a proud Coach Karen pointed out that unlike those divas, humble Sam still carries her own PA equipment to all of her performances.
Sam’s voting number is 08.

And to close the show, #TeamKahn talent Craig Lucas (23) from Cape Town showed off his falsetto range with Harry Styles’ latest single, “Sign of the Times”. Karen thought he sounded like an international star. Lira noted that she loves Craig’s song choices. “Through your song choices you’ve earned the love that I have for you right now,” she said and she hoped that he would not be pulled off-track, creatively. “Do you, boo,” she cautioned. “Be true to yourself.” Kahn said Craig has that special quality the French call “je ne sais quoi”.
Craig’s voting number is 01.

Voting for the Top 7 opened at the end of the show and will close on Tuesday, 13 June at 22:00. Tickets for The Voice SA live shows are available from Computicket.