New Zealand’s Got Talent is back – and I was so ready for it. I’m really amped this year about what we’ll see. My first job for the show was to walk into the holding room to meet some contestants, and I was just thinking, “I could be sitting here with the winner” – but you just can’t tell who it could be.
A major standout for me was little Oceana (left), who sang Christina Aguilera’s Beautiful. A lot of kids don’t look adults in the eye when they talk to them, but she has an amazing confidence, despite a bone marrow condition meaning she often has to rely on a wheelchair. But her family are a huge support – I took care of her mum while Oceana was singing, and she was so proud. The rest of her family were in the audience, being as loud as they could so she could hear them rooting for her. It was pretty moving stuff.
The holding room is a weird place, with an awkward fusion of nervous energy. People don’t really know whether they are supposed to be friends or foes. It’s impossible to guess anything from what you see – it’s not until a contestant actually stands on stage and starts their act. Then you know within five seconds whether they are amazing or terrible!
Some of the contestants look naturally stunning, while others are just crazy. You really do see people of every kind, from your guy in Highland dress (above), to the dance troupe rehearsing in the car park, stopping every time a car went past. That’s one of the reasons our show is so special and appeals to so many.
Although two of the three judges are the same, the vibe is different to last year. Jason has come out of his shell – he appears to be more self-assured, obviously knows the game, and is a lot more “up” about his own performance, which is great.
Rachel has become “that” judge – the one who champions the underdog. If it’s soppy, or it’s oddball, then you can bet she’s going to be a yes! And I think everyone has warmed to Cris already. He showed his human face early on when he cried at Oceana’s performance, then danced with Ethan, the mini-Michael Jackson.
From tears to cheers, judges Jason, Rachel and Cris experienced the full range of emotions during episode one.
Cris really is a fantastic mover – he showed Rachel and I some YouTube clips of himself dancing with Michael Jackson. We were like: “Wow, that’s really you? You’re the man!”
It’s still early days, but there are already standouts – the biggest being James, the heavy metallist. He was absolutely hilarious!
All in all, it’s been a great start. It’s important to remember we aren’t making the news – we’re here to entertain and enjoy the show. That’s what I hope everyone does!
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