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Cape Town – Rapper Jack Parow donned another hat this week when he was a guest judge at the Idols SA Cape Town Golden Ticket auditions.
The Cooler As Ekke hitmaker sat in for Gareth Cliff who couldn't attend the final leg of the audition phase as he is currently in the US.
We had a quick chat with Jack about his guest role, what he's looking for in an Idol and find out if he sings in the shower.
Are you an Idols fan?
I've been a really big fan from the beginning. I had a lot more time then to watch because I wasn’t so busy with work then. I love getting home on a Sunday after a gig and tuning in to the extra channel. That's always fun.
Who’s you favourite Idols winner in the world?
For me being a musician myself I like people who are nice and friendly when I meet them as it makes a difference. Elvis Blue is a very nice guy. But my all-time favourite Idols contestants are the Wooden Mic ones.
What are you looking for in an Idol?
It is important to be different. You have to be true to yourself and not try and sound like someone else. I know it's cliché but you have to find your own voice. You don’t want to fall into a category where there are 40 people who sound like you sound; you have to create your own sound and make people want to sound like you.
What’s the one song/artist nobody should sing during an audition?
Anything by Celine Dion. Know your limitations.
If you had to audition what song would you sing?
I would do something by Snoop Dogg or Eminem. Probably spit a few bars of Stan.
Are you more Simon Cowell/Randall Abrahams?
Jeez! That's a difficult one! I am probably Randy Jackson. I'm more on Unathi's side, we're a bit nicer. The other two tend to go the bad way.
What’s your go-to strategy when it comes to letting a bad singer down easy?
You have to be honest and give them constructive criticism; you have to keep their dream alive in some way.
Realistically, is the Idols publicity enough to crack it in the music industry?
Not at all, no show can do that. It can make you famous and make people recognise your face but at the end of the day talent is the most important thing. My tip for someone who uses this platform to break into the industry is to not believe the hype. You're only as good as your last performance. Stay creative and keep creating.
Who do you sing in the shower?
I used to sing in the shower, actually I used to beat box because that's one thing I wasn’t good at. And you know, things always sound better in the shower and you can put water in your mouth and make extra weird sounds. But these days I have a skull candy speaker which is waterproof. So I listen more than sing now.
