One of the aspects of my job I enjoy the most is getting to talk to people and finding out who they really are.
We all have a tale to tell – a wise person once told me that everyone has a documentary in them, and I wholeheartedly agree.
Some of the stories from the NZGT contestants are happy, some sad – and many make me realise how lucky I am.
I’m not sick, and I haven’t lost loved ones in terrible circumstances.
And although they can be tragic, all of these tales give us a bit of insight into the worlds of the people we’re seeing perform on stage – and each one has made the contestants the people they are today.
I never get desensitized to people’s personal stories, and last week’s show was no exception.
Rob Innes has done so well to get through to the final. There will always be people who think the programme should just be for younger people to get a leg up in the industry, but at 66, after suffering stage fright for years, Rob has really stepped up and proved something to himself.
Huge credit to him for getting back on the horse and facing his fears.
Last week, I watched the finished show with Rachel Hunter. Because she’s a judge, she has a very unique viewpoint – and knows what has been edited, too!
There were quite a few contestants pulling at the heartstrings, and Rachel and I were really moved by Oceana’s performance.
Her bones don’t grow straight and she’s often in pain, but she has such an amazing voice, particularly given she’s just 10 years old.
She made everybody cry when she sang Beautiful in the first round, and she brought it again in the semifinals – as did Jenny Mitchell, the 14-year-old country singer.
With acts like Silhouette and Brian and Sarah all through to the grand final, we’re seeing quite a few dancers do well this year, but if this latest bunch of vocalists is anything to go by, the battle to take out the top spot is still wide open.
