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/town | Date | Venue |
Invercargill | 29 April 2013 | Southland Boys High School |
Dunedin | 30 April 2013 | Otago Boys High School |
Dunedin | 1 May 2013 | Otago Boys High School |
Timaru | 3 May 2013 | Roncalli College |
Christchurch | 5 May 2013 | Addington Event Centre |
Christchurch | 6 May 2013 | Addington Event Centre |
Greymouth | 8 May 2013 | Tai Poutini Polytechnic |
Nelson | 9 May 2013 | Nelson School of Music |
New Plymouth | 14 May 2013 | New Plymouth Boys High School |
Wellington | 17 May 2013 | Wellington East Girls College |
Wellington | 18 May 2013 | Wellington East Girls College |
Napier | 20 May 2013 | Napier War Memorial Conference Centre |
Hamilton | 25 May 2013 | Southwell School |
Rotorua | 28 May 2013 | John Paul College |
Tauranga | 29 May 2013 | Otumoetai College |
Whangarei | 4 June 2013 | Whangarei Girls High School |
Auckland | 8 June 2013 | Epsom Girls Grammar School |
Auckland | 9 June 2013 | Epsom 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 act | Genre | Act | Age | From | Semi | Position reached |
50/50 Dance Crew | Dance | Bhangra, hip hop dance | 16–24 | Auckland | 1 | Semi-finalist |
Renee Maurice | Singing | Singer | 22 | Wellington | 1 | Finalist |
Ravi | Variety | Martial arts | 37 | Auckland | 1 | Semi-finalist |
This Is Unicycling | Variety | Unicycling | 21, 22 | Kaikohe, Nelson | 1 | Semi-finalist |
Mayo | Dance | Hip hop dance | 21 | Pukekohe | 1 | Finalist |
Diamond Divas | Singing | Singer | 40, 49 | Porirua | 1 | Semi-finalist |
MDM | Singing | Singing trio | 12, 15, 16 | Auckland | 2 | Semi-finalist |
Brian and Sarah | Dance | Latin dance duo | 18 | Christchurch | 2 | Finalist |
Gabriella Atkinson | Singing | Singer | 13 | Nelson | 2 | Semi-finalist |
Origin Dance Crew | Dance | Hip hop dance | 5–18 | Nelson | 2 | Semi-finalist |
James Lee | Singing | Singer | 31 | Auckland | 2 | Finalist |
Calista Gray | Singing | Singer | 14 | Tauranga | 3 | Semi-finalist |
Silhouette | Dance | Dance duo | Christchurch | 3 | Finalist | |
Siuleo Vitale | Singing | Singer | Auckland | 3 | Semi-finalist | |
Manako and Cinnamon | Variety | Dancing dog act | 6 | Auckland | 3 | Semi-finalist |
Ethan Scharneck | Dance | Michael Jackson impersonator | 10 | North Shore | 3 | Finalist |
Moxie | Dance | Dance group | 15–26 | Albany | 4 | Semi-finalist |
John Vaifale | Dance | Hip hop dance | 17 | Manukau | 4 | Semi-finalist |
All Star Cheerleading | Variety | Cheerleading | 9–25 | North Shore | 4 | Semi-finalist |
Rob Innes | Singing | Singer | 66 | Wellington | 4 | Finalist |
Cruize Karaitiana | Singing | Singer | 22 | Masterton | 4 | Finalist |
Geordie Meade | Singing | Singer/pianist | 28 | Auckland | 5 | Semi-finalist |
OKK | Dance | Dance group | 8–44 | Turangi | 5 | Semi-finalist |
Oceana Olsen | Singing | Singer | 10 | Christchurch | 5 | Finalist |
Kurt X | Variety | Harmonica player | 50 | Wellington | 5 | Semi-finalist |
Jenny Mitchell | Singing | Singer/guitarist | 14 | Gore | 5 | Finalist |
IDentity | Dance | Dance group | 18–26 | Auckland | 6 | Finalist |
Natasha Alexandra | Singing | Singer | 16 | Auckland | 6 | Semi-finalist |
Sam Francks | Singing | Opera singer | 12 | Auckland | 6 | Finalist |
Estella Winnie-McGee | Singing | Singer-songwriter | 16 | New Plymouth | 6 | Semi-finalist |
The Black Trio | Singing | Singing trio | 26–29 | Wanganui | 6 | Finalist |
Semi-final summary
Key | Judges' choice | Buzzed out |
First Semi-Final, Week 1 (20 October)
Second Semi-Final, Week 2 (27 October)
- Guest performer: Clara van Wel – "Wait For Me"
Third Semi-Final, Week 3 (3 November)
- Guest performer: Ezra Vine "Celeste"
Fourth Semi-Final, Week 4 (10 November)
Fifth Semi-Final, Week 5 (17 November)
Guest performer: Sole MioSixth Semi-Final, Week 6 (24 November)
Guest performer: Olly Murs – "Dear Darlin'"- Judge Rachel Hunter was unable to choose between IDentity and Sam Francks, declaring she wanted both acts to go through. This decision was accepted.
Grand Final, Week 7 (1 – 8 December)
- Guest performers:
- * The Babysitters Circus feat. Jason Kerrison – "Giving Love"
- * Criss Judd dance performance – "When I Was Your Man"
- * ENZSO feat. Jason Kerrison – "Poor Boy"
- Contestant performances:
- * Jenny, Renee and Silhouette – "Next to Me"
- * Rejected auditionees medley
Artist | Order | Act | Song performed | Finished |
Silhouette | 1 | Dance Duo | N/A | 2 |
Jenny Mitchell | 2 | Singer/Guitarist | "No More" | 3 |
Cruize Karaitiana | 3 | Singer | "Let It Be" | 6 |
Brian and Sarah | 4 | Dance Duo | 5 | |
IDentity | 5 | Dance Group | 8 | |
Sam Francks | 6 | Opera Singer | "Funiculì, Funiculà" | 10 |
Oceana Olsen | 7 | Singer | "Hallelujah" | 4 |
Mayo | 8 | Dancer | 12 | |
James Lee | 9 | Singer | "Livin' on a Prayer" | 9 |
Ethan Scharneck | 10 | Michael Jackson Impersonator | 11 | |
The Black Trio | 11 | Singing Trio | "Take Her Home" | 13 |
Rob Innes | 12 | Singer | "Mack the Knife" | 7 |
Renee Maurice | 13 | Singer | "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" | 1 |