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There must be something in the water they drink in the Western Cape.
Yanga Sobetwa does not live very far from last year’s teenage winner.
She’s also the same age as her – Paxton Fielies was only 17 years old when she won Idols SA season 13.
She was the youngest Idols winner, unseating Jody Williams, who won the fourth season of the South African reality television singing competition in 2007 at age 17.
And Sobetwa followed in Fielies’ footsteps last night at Carnival City’s Big Top Arena.
Getting the majority of 32.5 million votes made Sobetwa the season 14 winner and an instant millionaire. However she is not planning to spend a cent of it for at least a year.
“I am planning on freezing the money for about a year, maybe, and then live off gig money and sponsors,” she said.
“I feel I do not deserve to be here at all. I did nothing to deserve to be here but I feel very blessed to have people who see that I deserve to be here. I feel very privileged and very blessed.”
The Grade 11 learner didn’t stop studying when she was staying at the Idols house in Johannesburg. She arranged a long-distance learning set-up with her school and she passed well in June. She says even though she has money and a career she will not stop studying.
“I am planning to continue with my studies. I am a book girl. I have so many skills that I want to fulfil. [I’d like to study] entertainment law [and] I would like to have a PhD in music.”
The KwaLanga native said she planned her future a long time ago and it included her own production company and a music academy.
Sobetwa once mentioned in an interview with City Press that winning the competition would help her start her own business and release her first album, Siphephelo Sami, which has nine songs.
“I have always dreamt of having my own production company. [Releasing an album] depends on whether I win or I don’t,” she said at the time.
“If I win, I have to start with what Idols has assigned me to. Then I can do my own thing. But, if I don’t, the plan is to start my own business immediately and go on from there,” she said.
Mzansi Magic’s Director of local entertainment channels, Reneilwe Sema said he was proud of the talent they find every year.
“I look forward to the next year of Idols and I think that we continue to produce amazing talent. I cannot wait to see what comes up next year.”
Next season’s audition dates have been released:
Pretoria – January 26
Durban – February 9
Johannesburg – February 16
Cape Town – March 2
