This week on the Clash of the Choirs South Africa Limpopo’s team HLE managed to outshine their rivals while Free State got the boot.
This week’s episode gave celeb choirmasters and their teams their toughest challenge yet, one that placed the human voice in the spotlight.
The seven remaining choirs had to mostly leave the band behind as they sought harmonic perfection, drawing on South Africa’s rich vocal history and giving incredible, unplugged renditions.
The performances showed range vocally and arrangement-wise, as well as when it came to genres.
Team HLE performed a rendition of Zonke’s Jik’izinto and impressed all three judges. An emotional Buhlebendalo Mda said: “From the first note that you uttered, you got me.”
Team Zaza shown the door
Sadly, it was former challenge winners Team Zaza (Free State) who came up short, being eliminated for their take on Skeleton Move by Master KG.
Mpumalanga’s Team Khanyisa boldly took on Dr Tumi’s Akekho. He was impressed, saying: “I was waiting to see where you guys were gonna go with it. I’m glad you put a twist to the song. I will not fault you.”
Performing Thojana ya Thesele by Presss were Gauteng’s Team Prince Kaybee. Zwai Bala felt they could have done more: “It was safe. If I were to mark you, you would simply pass. [In future] just be honest and be real.”
KZN’s Team Ntencane performed Mary J. Blige’s Be Without You, with Buhlebendalo saying to the lead vocalist: “If you forget the lyrics, let it go. When you forget, your energy goes down and it feeds on the rest of the group.”
Team Lady Du (Eastern Cape) took on Lauryn Hill’s Tell Him. Zwai called it “one of the strongest performances tonight”.
Closing off the show was Team Langa (Northern Cape), who sang AKA’s The World Is Yours. Buhlebendalo remarked: “You are one choir that completely understood what the theme was. I feel like there were too many solos, but I like how you implemented the brief.”
Six choirs now remain and the competition is closer to the finale. The winner will pocket R1-million cash prize.
