Copperstone presents 2019 Talent Search SA semi-finalists

FOURWAYS – Talent Search SA has announced this year's 12 semi-finalists.

September 22, 2019

Refentse Makgamatha 2 minutes read

The Talent Search SA 2019 judging panel is made up of Jacques Momberg, Gavin Wildshchutt-Prins, Rialien Furstenberg, George Momberg and Ursula Greer.
Photos: Refentse Makgamatha

Fun was had at the recent Talent Search SA event held at Indaba Hotel Spa and Conference Centre in Fourways.

This competition was started by Copperstone Events in 2017 and has been the go-to competition for people across the country to showcase their talent.

Once the auditorium was filled, two masters of ceremony walked onto the stage – last year’s Talent Search winner Toni Mngoma and last year’s Copperstone Humanitarian Award winner Erica Pienaar.

The judging panel of creatives was made up of choreographer Ursula Greer, singer George Meiring, editor of the Get It Joburg West magazine Rialien Furstenberg, PR guru and journalist Gavin Wildschutt-Prins and owner of Copperstone Events Jacques Momberg.

Two of the semi-finalists, Nduduzo Ngcongo and Lerato Lebata. *Photo: Refentse Makgamatha*

A serenading performance by singer and judge George Meiring broke the ice and had the audience excited for more. With a diverse group of creatives taking part, the fight to be a semi-finalist was tight. The 15 contestants’ performances all had the audience applauding in awe.

During the dinner break, the Fourways Review interviewed two of the contestants. Lerato Lebata said, “I was so nervous on stage, thought I was going to, at some point, fall but this competition has given me a great platform and I’m grateful. I’m actually studying sound engineering so I found out at school when I was researching that there is a competition where I can showcase my talent.”

Another contestant who impressed the audience with his singing talent, Nduduzo Ngcongo said he had been searching for talent shows in South Africa when he finally found Talent Search SA.

Judge and singer George Meiring serenades the audience. *Photo: Refentse Makgamatha*

Later in the evening, after the judges’ deliberation, the semi-finalists were announced – Natalie Mokgothu, Gonwayne Voigt, Tholego Keebine, Lebo Sekhoto, Nduduzo Ngcongo, Diandré Dippenaar, Bongani Jika, Nadia Zara, Shaé Constant, Joshua Diener, Dan Fourie, Chané Crafford and Lerato Lebata.

When asked about judging process, Gavin Wildschutt-Prins said, “The judges were all in agreement that it was hard for all of us to choose as they were all so incredibly talented during the semi-finals. We were looking for the contestants that oozed talent but at the same time remained grounded to confidently live up to our mandate – to create artists with a purpose.”