Two talented teenage performers from Ōtaki are bringing waiata to a living room near you as part of new television talent show.
5 Minutes of Fame was a new show on Māori Television where "wannabe singers go head to head for a shot at fame". The show screens on Thursday nights at 8.30pm.
Tui-Eilish Tahere-Katene, 14, last night sang She Works Hard For The Money by Donna Summer and made it through to the next round.
James Stent, 15, sang the Frank Sinatra classic Fly Me to the Moon last week and also progressed to the next round.
James Stent, 15, has progressed to the next round of the 5 Minutes of Fame show in Maori Television.
"It was super cool. It was kinda intimidating ... it just shows you that you've got a lot to learn," he said.
Stent and Tahere-Katene were mates from kōhanga reo and had sung together since they were 12 years old.
While they might be good friends, their respective wins in the "Teen" section of 5 Minutes of Fame meant they will be forced to go head-to-head in a sing-off next week.
Last month, a clip of them singing together as part of the Anzac Day Memorial Service in Ōtaki went viral, a set of stunning solos and duets while dressed in old New Zealand Army uniforms.
Tui-Eilish Tahere-Katene from Otaki has progressed through to the next round of 5 Minutes of Fame, screening on Thursday nights on Maori Television.
They also sang at a rest home in Paraparaumu later that day, singing Don't Fence Me in, Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Long Way To Tipperary, among other songs.
Interestingly, the pair combined as a duo to sing Love You Like I'm Gonna Lose You by Meghan Trainor in the group section of the 5 Minutes of Fame television competition.
While their performance drew praise from the judges, they were knocked out by the Lei Lows sisters from Gisborne singing Knock Three Times by Tony Orlando and Dawn.
The series is hosted by Turanga Merito with Pere Wihongi and Bella Kalolo as judges. Two vocalists compete against each other in one of four categories per episode – teen, female, male and group.
There were eight performances per heat and a total of six heats. Four category winners per heat progress to the quarter finals.
From that, a teen, a female, a male and a group will face off in song in a bid to win the overall title. The category winners and overall title winner will share a prize pool of $15,000.
