One of my favourite aspects of hosting New Zealand’s Got Talent is the sign-off. Everyone has watched, enjoyed, laughed, cried, cringed – now they can turn it off and go to bed having been thoroughly entertained. That’s what the show’s all about. We aren’t like The X Factor, promising fame and fortune – we’re out to entertain, and give people a chance to show what they can do.
Last week, we saw some really fantastic examples of what makes the show what it is. Natasha, the 16-year-old who wrote her own song, Last Monday, about being bullied at school, was just beautiful. Everyone has different childhood experiences, but Natasha is the face of young people today, and she chose to sing about being bullied as her way of facing what happened to her and reclaiming her life.
Shy John let his moves do the talking.
When I met John, the “Happy Feet” teen who danced, I have to admit I wasn’t expecting much. He was in a line-up of people who had been quickly buzzed off by the judges, and when I tried to talk to him, I got nothing. While it’s not my job to judge, it’s hard not to formulate an opinion of what someone’s going to be like when they are talking to their shoes. But he got on stage and became lost in himself. In seconds, I thought, ‘Wow, you are nothing like you were a minute ago!’ Cris [Judd] said that dance is what music looks like and, with John, I knew what he meant. He expressed himself so clearly without a word.
Natasha faced off bullying by writing her own song.
But the act that really stopped me in my tracks was Sam Francks, the 12-year-old opera boy who happily named Mary Poppins as his favourite movie. He sang amazing falsetto before heading off to netball practice. He is just the type of person that bullies like to target, but he really doesn’t care what others think of him.
My partner Tim used to be a music teacher, and he was blown away by Sam. Tim reckons he’s really talented. That’s why I asked him for his autograph, because I think with that attitude and talent, he could do well.
Sam impressed judges with his falsetto.
As expected, we’re seeing a mix of great acts and some pretty awful ones, and the judges are so gorgeous. Poor Rachel [Hunter] was accused of flirting by Cris and Jason [Kerrison], but I honestly don’t think she does. People flirt with her before she flirts back with them! That being said, she really turns it up for some people – the octogenarian magician a couple of weeks ago got her eyelashes batting! But she doesn’t flirt, she just shares the love – that’s Rachel in a nutshell.
Catch Tamati and the judges on New Zealand’s Got Talent on TV One, Sundays, at 7.30pm.
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