The Battles rage on!

Six more singers make it through to The Voice SA Live Shows.

Only one more Battle Round left.

This week, coach Francois van Coke named young-but-mature Tasché Burger and eccentric Anslin Gysman the winners of their Battles in M-Net’s popular singing contest The Voice South Africa. Riky Rick picked one of the talent he stole in the KnockOut rounds, Ross Charles as well as the pitch-perfect duo Aura and LIRA decided that dapper Sbu Dudlu deserved came out tops. And, on Riana Nel’s team, witty Elisha James will continue his journey on The Voice SA.

They join Krista Jones, Amy Tjasink, Daniel Jay, Lelo Ramisong, and Yahto Kraft, who won their Battles last week.

During this round of the competition, the four coaches pair up members of their teams and pit them against each other performing the same song. The winner of this vocal Battle proceeds to the next round, The Voice SA’s Lives, during which the voting public will have all the say.

The other singer, unfortunately, goes home. In the Battles there are no Saves and no Steals and the decision is solely in the hands of the coach who groomed the talent.

The first team to do Battle tonight was #TeamVanCoke, and coach Francois van Coke pitched 26-year-old Mia Malherbe from Randburg against the singing waitress Tasché Burger (18) from Brackenfell in Cape Town, singing the Dolly Parton classic “Jolene”. Coach Francois and his co-coach Majozi tutored their Talent at the glamorous Johannesburg mansion Le Chatelat and Majozi predicted that this Battle would go viral! “I am well impressed!” LIRA exclaimed, and Riana said she thought Tasché’s potential is endless. “They are truly amazing artists,” said proud coach Francois, but he could only choose one, and it was Tasché Burger.

For his first Battle of the night Riky Rick paired Durban sound engineer Ross Charles (26), who he stole from #TeamLIRA in the KnockOuts, and another of his Steals, former #TeamRiana Talent, Shane Sonkind (38) from Mossel Bay. Riky and his co-coach Khaya Mthethwa tutored their Talent in the Kings of Leon hit “Use Somebody”, and proud as they were of their former Talent, Riana and LIRA were happy they didn’t have to make a choice. Riky Rick thought his two singers had Battled a little bit too intensely, and his selection to go forward to the Live Shows was Ross Charles.

Next up was #TeamRiana, and Riana Nel pitched Elisha James (26) from Pretoria against her #TeamRiky Steal Tye Platinum (33) from Ravensmead, singing “Young Blood” from the band 5 Seconds of Summer. Riana and co-coach Jo Black worked hard with Elisha to not to use humour as a defense mechanism and it paid off, because LIRA thought he carried the Battle. And Riana agreed, choosing the 26-year-old Industrial Designer to go with her to the Live Shows.

For the second #TeamRiky Battle coach Riky paired his duo, Aura, with Soweto Youth Choir singer Skumbuzo Ndaba (25), singing Rihanna’s “Stay”. Co-coach Khaya Mthethwa had to keep reminding the Talent not to perform as a harmonious group of three, but to Battle with each other. Their performance won them a standing ovation from their proud Coach, and coach Francois said it was impossible to decide who was the better singer. Riky had to agonise over his decision to take Fentshe Nkabinde (20) and Mapula Mahlo (24) from Pretoria through to the Lives as the duo Aura.

For her third Battle so far, LIRA paired her #TeamRiky Steal 22-year-old Keanu Harker from Balhar in the Cape with Sbu Dludlu (34) from Duduza, performing the Soul classic “Knock On Wood”. Co-coach Ross Learmonth from the band Prime Circle predicted an epic Battle because they were both singers who had “a big strong swagger”, he noted. “Shots fired!” Riana responded after their blistering performance. Coach LIRA said she paired these two because she knew it would be difficult to choose between them, but she did have to choose and Sbu walked off as the winner.

Francois van Coke next paired Cape Town payroll officer Anslin Gysman (22) from Filipi with fellow Capetonian Mo George (21), singing the Justin Timberlake hit “Cant’ Stop The Feeling” – much to Anslin’s horror. “In what life am I gonna sing a pop song?” he worried, but his energetic performance carried the day.

Don’t forget to vote which two of these singers you would like to see Battle it out against each other in the first Live Show in the the Strepsils Viewers’ Battle!

  • To put Carmen in the Battle, SMS 01 to 33692 or vote for free on the internet at mnet.tv/thevoice
  • To put Katlego in the Battle, SMS 02 to 33692 or vote for free on the internet at mnet.tv/thevoice
  • To put Soné in the Battle, SMS 03 to 33692 or vote for free on the internet at mnet.tv/thevoice
  • To put Ashur in the Battle, SMS 04 to 33692 or vote for free on the internet at mnet.tv/thevoice

SMSs cost R1.50 per SMS, while voting on mobi and web is free. All info on how to vote as well as the terms and conditions for voting are available here. The voting lines are open, and will close on Tuesday, 14 May, at 22:00.

The Voice South Africa premieres on M-Net 101 every Sunday at 17:30 and is repeated on VUZU, Channel 116, on Mondays at 20:00. It also be available on DStv CatchUp. Fans can visit mnet.tv and follow all the breaking news and conversations around the show on Twitter @MNet / #TheVoiceSA and on the official M-Net Facebook page.

The Voice SA is produced by Blackswanmedia.