Real Life

Great Dane’s tough times

He’s had to bear a lot in life – he even bared his feet to sing on TV.
Great Dane's tough times

New Zealand’s Got Talent contestant Dane Moeke might look like a big softie, but the larger-than-life singer has a hard edge from all the struggles he has faced during his 22 years.

The Hamilton-based student reached the semi-finals of the hit reality show singing Whitney Houston’s The Greatest Love of All, but although his vocals are high-pitched, he has been through some extreme personal lows.

At the age of 12, Dane found himself homeless when his mother was admitted to hospital with a serious illness. “I came home from school and realised that we’d been evicted from our home,” says Dane.

Nerves saw the singer go without shoes for his audition.

“I’m the youngest child and all of my other siblings weren’t living at home and my mum and dad had separated, so I found myself on my own. “If people saw me at the time they wouldn’t think that I was starving, but I did what I had to do to get by.”

Dane is grateful to the Salvation Army for their support during the tough time. Also there for him was his extended family, who gave Dane a roof over his head when he needed it. Many also turned out to cheer him on at his audition.

Dane was his mother’s caregiver during his teenage years, and still looks after her now as well as keeping up his screen and media studies. His positive attitude has also helped him fight against “the haters” who make rude comments about his weight.

“There have been some nasty comments about me on Facebook and YouTube. It’s something I expected, but I didn’t really let it get to me,” says Dane, who faced similar criticism when he was runner-up on Maori TV talent show Homai Te Pakipaki in 2009.

“People have been mocking my weight and I have a girlie voice – but it’s okay and I’m proud of myself. I actually auditioned under the name ‘Big Dane’. I decided to call myself that first so nobody else would.”

After going without shoes for his audition, Dane\’s friend Alena gave him some “blinged” replacements later.

His fighting spirit may be called on yet again when he braves the stage in the show’s semi-final. He was admitted to hospital with kidney pains just a few weeks ago and has had two serious bouts of flu, but says he will sing on.

Although he seems calm on stage, Dane confesses he suffers from stage fright. Thanks to his nerves, he didn’t wear shoes in his audition because his feet were so sweaty he thought he might slip on stage. His friend Alena gave him some “blinged” replacements later.

Dane says he loves how the contestants on are so down to earth. Although he did have one Mariah-style diva moment back stage the cameras, didn’t see. “I was sitting down and I didn’t want to sweat any more so asked for someone to tie my shoes for me – probably the most diva thing I’ve done.”

Related stories