Local talent makes grand music final

Four Wairarapa entertainers won a place ahead of more than 100 performers recorded nationwide on the grand final of Maori Television music show My Country Song.

Wairarapa singers Mel and Pip Maynard, Cruize Karaitiana and Tanya Warren featured alongside six other entertainers gathered together from across New Zealand for the shooting of the show finale at Te Unga Waka Marae in Auckland last Saturday.

The Maynards had decided to enter the televised talent quest X-Factor after their involvement in the filming of My Country Song in Masterton and had made it through the pre-auditions stage of the show. Blue Bach Productions producer director Libby Hakaraia said 115 performers were recorded during the 13 episodes of the show hosted by Maori country music stars Dennis Marsh and Saelyn Guyton.

She said it aimed to present "a highly engaging entertainment series showcasing the emerging songwriting and singing talents found in small town New Zealand.

"My Country Song is a whanau show which aims to attract a whanau audience. The series sets out to discover new talent as well as featuring national and international stars of country music.

"It is a celebration of the singer and the song, and the mentoring that takes place if an artist is to truly shine."

Ms Hakaraia said the Wairarapa performers joined six other selected entertainers also invited to join Marsh and Guyton in the showcase final in Auckland, including Lesley Niania, Margorita Marsh, Max Smith, Khona Va'aga Gray, Basil Po-Ching, Joshua Gray and Toyah Jensen.

The Masterton episode of the show was shot in January at Wairarapa College and the Pahiatua segment at Tararua College.

It's In The Bag was simultaneously shot at the same locations.

Veteran broadcaster Tanui Stephens, partner of Ms Hakaraia, said at the time the music show would feature 144 Maori language songs during the inaugural season that started last month.

He said performers and their songs and stories would feature from each of the 12 regions where episodes were shot, which also included Paeroa, Pukekohe, Waihi, Mangakino, Putaruru, Taupo, Turangi, Ohakune, Whanganui and Feilding.

"Performers sing their songs and tell their stories. We encourage original music and it could be an 11-year-old singing about their best friend or about bullies. They are uniformly good and at times can be electrifying.

"When we're filming My Country Song, it can be very moving and can become a day of tears."

The Masterton episode of My Country Song is to air on December 1 and the grand finale will be broadcast on December 8.