In a resurgent season which lured 24,3m votes Vincent Bones (30) from Pietermaritzburg won the popular vote when he was announced the winner on Sunday night in the 10th season’s live finale of Idols on M-Net (DStv 101) and Mzansi Mzansi Magic (DStv 161).
Now that he’s won, the Idols winner Vincent Bones – a former homeless street kid roaming for discarded left-overs in the streets of Sunnyside, Pretoria – just wants to buy a home for his family.
The worship leader’s touching back story – he eventually managed to escape a life as a homeless street kid which he became after the death of his mother and uncle – as well as his powerful soulful singing, proved an irresistible draw to viewers who week after week voted to keep him in the reality show competition.
“Sleeping in the streets is scary at first. It’s a challenge you get used to,” he said. Luckily he was put into Boys Town, finished his schooling and changed his life. “I believe what I went through in life, is enough to carry my character,” he said about entering Idols.
Bones who can play piano, drums, base and saxophone came to national viewer attention in the second episode of the historic 10th Idols season – the first time he auditioned as a contestant for a TV show.
On Sunday night he triumphed in front of the crowd at the Carnival City arena and viewers watching the live finale at home, garnering more votes than Bongi Silinda (24) from Nelspruit.
‘The first thing I need is a house’
“The first thing I need is a house. That’s one of the only things at the moment right now in my mind, so that I can get a stable place for my family,” he said on Sunday night.
“I was probably the most nervous person throughout the season,” said Bones.
“The best thing I can say is to believe in yourself a little bit. If you know your talent, that will help you, because if you come to a show like Idols you need to make sure that you work on your confidence a little bit.”
“I was terrified from the first day,” he said. “After making it to the Top 16 I was a mess. It’s a singing competition but you need to be a confident person as well.”
Bones said he will not forget where he comes from. “I have people around me that constantly remind me who I am and where I come from. So for me, I feel safe because I’ve got those people that will always be there for me.”
He wins a prize package of more than R800 000 which includes a recording contract with Universal Music Africa.
“For me it’s a big moment. For me being the winner, it’s going to sink in later. I didn’t even believe I’m going to make it through the first audition.”
“I came to Idols, I didn’t necessarily have the confidence, but I had a plan in mind that I want to stay in the music industry. For me, from now on, I have to execute my plan. The plan that I have is to basically make good music. For me its music for the people; music that people enjoy,” said Bones.
Source – Channel24