Inside ‘Idols SA’ evictee Niikey Kubheka’s top five memorable moments

Niikiey Kubheka vows to keep making music even if it means doing cover songs until she is discovered by the right people. 

The singer is also ready to build her fan base after exiting Idols SA in the top five.

She told TshisaLIVE the time spent on the show taught her to separate the artist from who she is.  

"Whenever I'm performing I have to remember there is Niikey the person, and Niikey the artist. Whenever I'm done performing my music and people decide to bash and say hurtful and negative stuff, they are bashing the artist, not the person, At the end of the day I need to come back to self, remember my worth and know I am good enough so I can be able to perform to my best."

On her next move is after Idols SA, she said she plans to release music. 

"I'm going to continue doing music because it's what I love and what I'm passionate about. I am music, that's what I would like to believe. I want to release my own music and have my own album and stuff. But if doing more covers for the right people to recognise me and want to work with me, if that's what I need to do, then more covers it is. I will push doing gospel and Afro-pop covers until I get the right recognition."

Here are Niikiey's top five moments on the singing competition.

Golden ticket 

"That was amazing because it is the first step to getting where I want to be."

Performing Make a way with Mmatema Gavu

In the first live show the top 12 performed with former Idols SA contestants. 

Niikiey teamed with season 11’s Mmatema to sing Mmatema’s Make a Way before taking on Zonke’s Inhliziyo solo. All judges were unanimous in their praise for the 18-year-old.

JR Bogopa said both performances were “outstanding”, continuing: “Your second performance showed variation. Your range is incredible.” 

"I love doing gospel. I love gospel music wholeheartedly so performing one of my favourite songs with one of the biggest artists was a dream come true for me," Niikiey told TshisaLIVE.

Showstopper performance 

In the top 7 Niikiey received a standing ovation from the audience and judges when performing  Bongo Maffin’s The Way Kungakhona, 

Somizi Mhlongo said: “I’ve said it before that you’re multitalented, and today you proved it. This is how you do a showstopper, and you deserve a ‘whoo-shem'.”

"I got a whooo shame from Somizi and that felt amazing," she said.

Perfoming Ngena Noah with Betusile Mcinga

Niikiey poured her heart into Ngena Noah in collaboration with gospel star Betusile, following it with the catchy Maradona by Niniola.

JR Bogopa was particularly impressed, saying she might have outdone her already brilliant first performance with the second.

"Me and Betusile we come from the same church, it's just different branches. He is in the Eastern Cape and I'm in Gauteng, so the chemistry on stage was amazing. We did something we are familiar with. It is a song that we sing at church. That got my heart," said the singer.

Performance at PJ Morton's show as opening act 

The Maroon 5 keyboardist performed at Emperors Palace on October 13

Multiple Grammy award-winner PJ Morton wowed the audience with a performance of his new single So Lonely, joined by rapper Maglera Doe Boy at last week's show. He also mentored and curated a playlist of  iconic hits which the top four performed.