Remember When.... At the dawn of a new millennium, the media mogul, Simon Fuller (also known as the man who launched The Spice Girls) successfully launched TV singing competition Pop Idol in the UK (which produced Gareth Gates and eventual Season 1 winner, Will Young)? Not long after that, the franchise launched in South Africa, and put the power of turning ordinary people into singing stars in the public's hands. Now in its 16th season, the show has gone on to launch the careers of contestants including Heinz Winckler, Brendan October, Zamajobe, Bianca Le Grange, Anke Pietrangeli, Karin Kortje, Khaya Mthethwa, Elvis Blue, Lloyd Cele, Thami Shobede, and Jody Williams. 

On public broadcaster, SABC 1, Coca Cola Popstars had just produced singing group, 101. The show tanked, but not before giving us Adilah, Ghetto Lingo, and the most successful group of the lot, Jamali! 

I spoke to Heinz Winckler and Jacqui Carpede (of Jamali fame) about the emergence of reality TV singing competitions and what that did for their careers. 

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