NZGT Semi Final 3: Next Grand Finalists Revealed

Sunday 3 November, 7.30pm on TV ONE

Tonight, the top three acts from last week’s show were announced. The performers with the most public votes were Brian and Sarah, young Latin/Ballroom dancers from Christchurch. They now proceed to the Grand Final. Then the New Zealand’s Got Talent judges had to choose between runners up Origin Dance Crew and James Lee. Two very strong acts, but only one could go through, and the judges decided they wanted to see what James Lee would bring to the show next.

After the announcement, another five Semi Finalists performed on the NZGT stage and the voting lines to put two of them through to the Grand Final are open right now.

Tauranga singer Calista Gray took on ‘The Voice Within’ by her idol, Christina Aguilera (to vote, text keyword CALISTA to 8981). Married dancers from Christchurch, Kate and Lei’ataua Limuloa, form the duo Silhouette, who brought another acrobatic performance to the stage (keyword DANCEDUET). Auckland father-of-three Siuleo Vitale was up next accompanied by a backing band, and belted out Tom Jones hit ‘She’s A Lady’ (keyword SIULEO). Manako from South Auckland and her dancing beagle Cinnamon turned out another adorable performance (keyword BEAGLE). Finally, NZ’s biggest Michael Jackson fan Ethan Sharneck danced to a medley of King of Pop hits (keyword ETHAN).

To close the show, up-and-coming Kiwi musician Ezra Vine performed his new single ‘Celeste’ from his debut album.

Next week, five more acts will be competing for a spot in the Grand Final:

All Star Cheerleading combines jumps, stunts, pyramids, dance and tumbling in a tightly choreographed routine. Having made it to the semi-finals last year, the group of 9-24 year olds are hoping to go all the way this year. The All Stars are a mix of relatively new and elite performers who train for hours every week at the All Star Legacy on Auckland’s North Shore – the home of New Zealand’s premier cheerleading teams. They compete in NZ and overseas, with the club recently touring America and returning home with five first place wins, including the first grand championship ever won by a New Zealand team on US soil!

Cruize Karaitiana is an ambitious 22-year-old from Masterton who performed a moving rendition of Tracey Chapman’s ‘Fast Car’, which he dedicated to his late sister. Cruize works as a wood manufacturer, and hopes to qualify as an Engineer in two years. He says Engineering will pay the bills but music is his passion. He has loved singing since he was little, and is completely self taught. Cruize has always found solace in music. A real self-starter he has been entering himself into country music competitions around New Zealand for years. Currently his biggest musical inspiration is Gavin Degraw, a jazz/pop singer from America. “His story is so familiar. He started off from nothing and worked really hard to get to where he is now.”

John Vaifale, a 17-year-old from Clendon in Manukau, wowed the NZGT audience at his audition with a unique solo hip hop dance. The De La Salle College student loves performing and is a member of his school’s drama club. Last year John scored a role in the short film directed by Oscar Knightly called ‘Tom’s Dairy’. Dancing is his biggest passion, and in fact he has been hospitalised twice for dancing accidents! But he says nothing will stop him. He is self-taught, other than some lessons from his Dad who was a break dancer in the 1980s. “He’s my inspiration. Dad got me into dance when I was about three and pretending to be a robot and doing Michael Jackson moves.” John, also nicknamed ‘Happy Feet’, would love to be in a crew, but dances solo for now.

Moxie are a highly polished contemporary dance group who train at Neverland Studios in Albany, Auckland. Moxie have represented NZ in LA at an international dance convention, and dance at corporate events on occasion, but nothing professional yet. They entered NZGT because; “This show is motivating and inspiring and forces us to work hard to get results,” says group leader Ash Habgood (26). “There are very few platforms to show jazz and contemporary dance to a wide audience, and we really want to push ourselves to the next level.” Alongside Ash, Moxie is made up of: Alley Williams (26), Celina Torres (17), Rochelle Sanderson (15), Stephanie Day (19), and Amy Mitchell (21).

Rob Innes, aged 66, is an alarm technician from Wellington who only started singing again in recent years after 25 years of not singing at all. He had the St James Theatre swaying along to ‘Sweet Caroline’ by Neil Diamond at his audition. Rob sang on various TV shows in the 1970s, but lost his nerve until, he says, “I met the love of my life Sandra, and she encouraged me to use my talent again.” Major musical influences are Cliff Richard, Neil Diamond, Chicago, The Eagles and Otis Redding. Rob has produced five CDs of covers which he sells online, and in 2009 came second in a national 50-plus TV talent series called ‘The Beat Goes On’. Rob also worked for years as a radio host and voiceover artist.

The winner of NZGT's Grand Final will take home $100,000 and a Toyota RAV4. For more information on voting, or to view tonight's performances again, visit: www.tvnz.co.nz/new-zealands-got-talent-2013

ENDS