Out of twelve participants, two remained who on Friday evening settled for the title of this year’s Idol winner during a rousing finale in the Avicii Arena. For the finalists Saga Ludvigsson, 17, and Cimberly Wanyonyi, 18, the nerves ahead were palpable – not least for Cimberly, who has struggled with voice problems in recent days. But after being banned from speaking, her voice eventually recovered, she explained just hours before in After Five.
The jury’s tributes during the Idol finale
During the evening we heard the finalists sing three times each. A song they chose themselves, one we heard them sing earlier in Idol and the winning song “Won’t Be Sorry”. In addition to the winning song, we heard Saga sing ABBA’s “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” and “Jolene” by Dolly Parton. And Cimberly sang “River Deep Mountain High” by Ike & Tina Turner and Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All”.
Like the course of the Idol season, the jury’s tributes to Saga continued during the final, where they above all praised her smart song choice and how she manages to capture the audience.
– When you enter a room, all you see is you, you have the IT factor, notes Kishti Tomita.
And the accolades also showered on Cimberly.
– Flawless singing all the way and you are completely faultless as an artist, what a journey girl, says Anders Bagge.
The winner of Idol 2023
Now it’s clear who gets to call the winning song their own and can title themselves as this year’s Idol winner – it’s Cimberly Wanyonyi who wins Idol 2023!
– It feels absolutely incredible, it feels… dreams have come true. Think little child, she would never believe that I would be standing here! It feels magical, but also kind of strange – dare I say that?! says Cimberly after the win.
– You never thought you would succeed in bringing home Idol. There have been so many good people during the season, and you have admired every single one of them. You don’t put yourself up there, so it’s crazy, she continues.
How do you land in this?
– You I have to… I have to end up in bed. Just take it easy and sort of… land and understand what has happened. I don’t think I’ll really understand this until I wake up tomorrow, she says.
Cimberly: “Have done things that changed my life forever”
What is she most looking forward to now? Life!
– Everything that will happen. Not just now in the short term but in the long term. I am so proud of myself for doing things that changed my life forever. I definitely believe for the better, says Cimberly.
– It’s the best – I’ve been able to take part in creating my future!
And she is most proud of everything she has accomplished.
– My life has been chaos these weeks. It’s been some of my happiest weeks but also some of my hardest weeks, and I’m just so glad I’ve had the support and love from home to get through this. And made it all the way here.
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Swedish music entertainment where unknown talents get the chance to show what they can do in front of a critical jury.