VIDEO: The Voice SA – Coaches Riana Nel and LIRA fill their teams in penultimate Blind Auditions episode

Sunday night (17 March), Riana Nel became the first coach to complete her team for The Voice South Africa Season 3, closely followed by LIRA. That means there are only two spots left to fill in the final Blind Auditions next week, one on #TeamRiky and one on #TeamVanCoke. 

“The Voice SA” host Anele Mdoda paid a visit to the Mzansi Youth Choir rehearsals to personally share the happy news with 25-year-old Skumbuzo Ndaba that he had made it into the Blind Auditions. Skumbuzo had partially translated the Valiant Swart hit “Songvanger” into Zulu, and coach Francois van Coke was so moved that he called Valiant live from the stage to share the moment with him. Riky Rick, who has been carefully curating a diverse team of talent for himself, was the only coach to turn for Skhumbuzo. “I want us to make the other coaches really, really, really regret their decision not to turn,” he told his newest recruit.

Carmen Basson (20) from Hoopstad in the Free State is a country girl who appropriately loves Country music, “because it tells a story,” she says. Carmen performed the Kelly Clarkson hit “Piece By Piece” and Lira visibly struggled with a decision for a long time before finally turning her chair right on the very last lyric. “You sang and I felt my heart race,” she told Carmen.

Next up to perform was a nervous Dehanré Kiewets (19) from Cape Town, singing the Etta James classic “Something’s Got a Hold on Me”, and shockingly, not one coach turned for her, despite Francois being moved almost to tears. “This is becoming tough. I’m feeling quite overwhelmed, because you’re having to really listen to ‘do they have that extra thing’,” Riana Nel explained.

34-year-old Sbu Dludlu from Duduza has been pursuing a musical career since he was 10 years old. “Getting the coaches to turn would mean that everything I’ve told myself about being a singer is true,” he said, and Sbu’s lifelong dream was realised when his performance of the hit “Nomvula” earned him a rare 4-chair turn. When Sbu informed the coaches that he had been signed to a recording contract but the contract had expired, Riky Rick immediately scribbled a new contract in his notebook and asked Sbu to sign with him. But Sbu joked that he was just giving Riky an autograph, and he chose to throw his lot in with #TeamLira. “Sbu is my boo!” she celebrated.

Brother-and-sister duo Jesse (20) and Nicole (23) Govender from Durban performed Miley Cyrus’s “The Climb” but failed to get a place in this season of “The Voice SA”, with so few available spots left on the teams.

Freelance photographer and singing waiter Emil Paul (21) from Pretoria impressed Francois when he belted the chorus to Shawn Mendes’s “In My Blood”, and with his addition #TeamVanCoke also made it to 11 members. 

19-year-old music student Shayla Dos Santos from Durbanville took the stage with Lady Gaga’s powerhouse hit “Million Reasons”, but with only one spot left on each team at that stage, the competition was at its tightest and she also had to go home disappointed.

Soné Joubert’s clear, assured tones on the Gian Groen’s classic “Vier Seisoene Kind” had all four coaches turning. “Thank you very much, that was a beautiful experience,” Francois told her. The 27-year-old from Gordon’s Bay told the coaches she wanted to make a difference in South African music, but especially in Afrikaans music, so it came as no surprise that she chose to complete #TeamRiana.

The PJ Twins, 20-year-old Peter and John from Bonteheuwel, impressed the coaches with their perfect harmonies on the old All-4-One R&B classic “I Swear” and became the 12^th act that completed #TeamLIRA as she turned her chair on literally the final note.

With only two spots left in “The Voice SA” Season 3, here’s how the teams stand:

#TeamRiky: Joel Zuma, Keanu Harker, Amy Tjasink, Joshua Parker, Sabelo Mthembu, Christiaan Baartman, Morgan Beesley, Katlego Makgotlwe, Aura, Eon Claude le Roux, Skhumbuzo Ndaba.

#TeamLIRA: Ross Charles, Petro De Villiers, Mo George, Krista Jonas, Rayleen Padayachee, Lora Joplin, Nicky van Niekerk, Yahto Craft, Slindo Zondo, Carmen Basson, Sbu Dludlu, The PJ Twins.

#TeamRiana: Greunen Parker, Lelo Ramasimong, Felicia Seoehle, Verona Goslett, Siki Jo-Ann Owazi, Francois Viljoen, Ilan van Staden, Shane Sonkind, Wade Bezuidenhout, Vuyisile Mdlophane, Layla Sky, Soné Joubert.

#TeamVanCoke: Sade Ross, Tasché Burger, Chezelle Shahadat, Richard Barnard, Matthew Reid, Mia Malherbe, Ashur Petersen, Khokho Madlala, Itu Sings, Daniel Jay, Emil Paul.

The Voice South Africa premieres on M-Net 101 every Sunday at 17:30 and is repeated on VUZU, Channel 116, on Mondays at 20:00. It will also be available on DStv Catch Up.

The Voice SA airs on Sundays at 17:30.