Hundreds of Idols wannabes went through the tough audition process for M-Net’s talent search, produced by Fremantle, in Port Elizabeth and Durban last week and 31 talented contestants got the ticket to the next round in Johannesburg.

Some 15 young singers from KZN got a “yes” from the Idols judges in Durban and they will join the 32 Cape Town hopefuls and 16 contestants from the Eastern Cape for the next round in Johannesburg.

Around a thousand hopefuls – lucky charms and nervous parents in tow – made their way to the Protea Edward hotel on Durban’s beachfront for M-Net’s Idols competition to test their vocal mettle against the platinum standards of the Idols judges.

Durban produced some interesting contestants like Neil Manley who sang in a straightjacket his mother had made for him; Alissa Baxter whose historical romance novel The Dashing Debutante has been published by Regency House; and Imran Shaukat who is a finalist in this year’s Mr India SA contest.

Find out exactly who made it to the second round from KZN during the second Idols episode on June 29. The second season of Idols premieres on M-Net during Open Time on June 22.