New Zealand's Got Talent (series 3)


New Zealand's Got Talent was a New Zealand reality television show, based on the original UK series, to find new talent. The third and final series began airing on TV One from 15 September 2013. Host Tamati Coffey returned to the show, along with judges Jason Kerrison and Rachel Hunter and key sponsor Toyota New Zealand. American choreographer Cris Judd also joined the judging panel. The series screened at 7.30pm on Sunday evenings.
The series was won by 22-year-old singer from Wellington, who performed "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going". Maurice had previously made it to the bootcamp round of the first New Zealand series of The X Factor. Christchurch dance duo Silhouette was the runner-up, with 14-year-old singer-songwriter Jenny Mitchell from Gore in third place. Unlike 2012 winner Clara van Wel, Maurice was not given a recording contract, after Sony opted not to sign her. Maurice did, however, still receive the prize of a new car and $80,000 cash.

Background

In November 2012, TVNZ confirmed the show would return for a third series in 2013. In July 2013, funding agency NZ On Air confirmed that it would give the series $800,000 in production funding, a 50% reduction from the 2012 series funding.

Host and judges

In December 2012, series two host Tamati Coffey announced his plans to tour Europe for six months in early 2013, expressing his intention to return to New Zealand to present the 2013 series. In June 2013 he was confirmed as returning as series host. In April, TVNZ confirmed Opshop frontman Jason Kerrison would return as a judge. In May, TVNZ confirmed that American choreographer Cris Judd would join the judging panel and that Rachel Hunter would return to the judging panel for 2013.

Auditions

The first call for auditions was made in November 2012. Contestants could enter in one of three ways: online, via post, or in person at an open audition venue as part of the Toyota Talent Tour. From late April to early June 2013, the show's producers toured around New Zealand towns and cities with the Toyota Talent Tour and held non-televised open auditions. The top applicants then progressed to the judges' auditions.
The following list contains all of the cities, venues and dates of the Toyota Talent Tour.
Audition city/townDateVenue
Invercargill29 April 2013Southland Boys High School
Dunedin30 April 2013Otago Boys High School
Dunedin1 May 2013Otago Boys High School
Timaru3 May 2013Roncalli College
Christchurch5 May 2013Addington Event Centre
Christchurch6 May 2013Addington Event Centre
Greymouth8 May 2013Tai Poutini Polytechnic
Nelson9 May 2013Nelson School of Music
New Plymouth14 May 2013New Plymouth Boys High School
Wellington17 May 2013Wellington East Girls College
Wellington18 May 2013Wellington East Girls College
Napier20 May 2013Napier War Memorial Conference Centre
Hamilton25 May 2013Southwell School
Rotorua28 May 2013John Paul College
Tauranga29 May 2013Otumoetai College
Whangarei4 June 2013Whangarei Girls High School
Auckland8 June 2013Epsom Girls Grammar School
Auckland9 June 2013Epsom Girls Grammar School

Judges auditions

The judges auditions took place in Dunedin at the Regent Theatre on 14 and 15 July, in Auckland at the City Impact Church on 25 and 27 July and in Wellington at the St James Theatre on 10 and 11 August. The first episode aired on 15 September 2013, running for 90 minutes. After the judges' auditions, the successful contestants will be further reduced down to a group of 30 for the semi-finals.

Semi-finals

There are six semi-finals, with the first episode broadcast on 10 October. The semi-finals are pre-recorded the Thursday before broadcast at the City Impact Church in Albany, Auckland. The winners of each week's semi-final were revealed at the beginning of the next week's episode.

Tip Top Natural Talent Search

In addition to 30 semi-finalists, one wildcard entry will be chosen by a public competition. The Tip Top Natural Talent Search competition is open to any act. Acts upload a video audition and are voted on by the public. The top five acts were revealed in semi-final four, with the winner selected by the judges and announced in semi-final five. The five top acts were: The Pack, The Black Trio, Troublemakers Dance Crew, Shane Brown and APD Bhangra Group.

Semi-finalists

Name / name of actGenreActAgeFromSemiPosition reached
50/50 Dance CrewDanceBhangra, hip hop dance16–24Auckland1Semi-finalist
Renee MauriceSingingSinger22Wellington1Finalist
RaviVarietyMartial arts37Auckland1Semi-finalist
This Is UnicyclingVarietyUnicycling21, 22Kaikohe, Nelson1Semi-finalist
MayoDanceHip hop dance21Pukekohe1Finalist
Diamond DivasSingingSinger40, 49Porirua1Semi-finalist
MDMSingingSinging trio12, 15, 16Auckland2Semi-finalist
Brian and SarahDanceLatin dance duo18Christchurch2Finalist
Gabriella AtkinsonSingingSinger13Nelson2Semi-finalist
Origin Dance CrewDanceHip hop dance5–18Nelson2Semi-finalist
James LeeSingingSinger31Auckland2Finalist
Calista GraySingingSinger14Tauranga3Semi-finalist
SilhouetteDanceDance duoChristchurch3Finalist
Siuleo VitaleSingingSingerAuckland3Semi-finalist
Manako and CinnamonVarietyDancing dog act6Auckland3Semi-finalist
Ethan ScharneckDanceMichael Jackson impersonator10North Shore3Finalist
MoxieDanceDance group15–26Albany4Semi-finalist
John VaifaleDanceHip hop dance17Manukau4Semi-finalist
All Star CheerleadingVarietyCheerleading9–25North Shore4Semi-finalist
Rob InnesSingingSinger66Wellington4Finalist
Cruize KaraitianaSingingSinger22Masterton4Finalist
Geordie MeadeSingingSinger/pianist28Auckland5Semi-finalist
OKK DanceDance group8–44Turangi5Semi-finalist
Oceana OlsenSingingSinger10Christchurch5Finalist
Kurt X VarietyHarmonica player50Wellington5Semi-finalist
Jenny MitchellSingingSinger/guitarist14Gore5Finalist
IDentityDanceDance group18–26Auckland6Finalist
Natasha AlexandraSingingSinger16Auckland6Semi-finalist
Sam FrancksSingingOpera singer12Auckland6Finalist
Estella Winnie-McGeeSingingSinger-songwriter16New Plymouth6Semi-finalist
The Black TrioSingingSinging trio26–29Wanganui6Finalist

Semi-final summary

Key Judges' choice Buzzed out

First Semi-Final, Week 1 (20 October)

Second Semi-Final, Week 2 (27 October)

Fifth Semi-Final, Week 5 (17 November)

Guest performer: Sole Mio

Sixth Semi-Final, Week 6 (24 November)

Guest performer: Olly Murs – "Dear Darlin'"
The two-hour grand final was broadcast on 1 December with the results show on 8 December.
ArtistOrderActSong performedFinished
Silhouette1Dance DuoN/A2
Jenny Mitchell2Singer/Guitarist"No More" 3
Cruize Karaitiana3Singer"Let It Be"6
Brian and Sarah4Dance Duo5
IDentity5Dance Group8
Sam Francks6Opera Singer"Funiculì, Funiculà"10
Oceana Olsen7Singer"Hallelujah"4
Mayo8Dancer12
James Lee9Singer"Livin' on a Prayer"9
Ethan Scharneck10Michael Jackson Impersonator11
The Black Trio11Singing Trio"Take Her Home" 13
Rob Innes12Singer"Mack the Knife"7
Renee Maurice13Singer"And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going"1