KEY POINTS:
Tauranga singer-songwriter Jeremy Walden has been given the biggest break of his musical career - a chance to perform in front of industry heavyweights in Hollywood.
The 18-year-old former Tauranga Boys' College student has been invited to a five-day workshop at the Hollywood Pop Academy in Los Angeles, giving him the opportunity to wow American record executives.
He said it came about by chance when Christina Aguilera's manager, Ron Harris, invited him to the academy after "stumbling across" his internet MySpace page, allowing him to bypass the audition process.
"Usually when they get people to come and audition, they're still learning themselves and they sing covers," Walden said.
He has been singing since his days at kohanga reo - through kapa haka and at school as a member of hip-hop group Lyrical Officials - and describes his style as hip-hop urban R&B pop. The US-based academy's classes include vocal technique, stage performance, dance and songwriting.
It offers the opportunity to perform for representatives from Warner Music, Capitol Records, Disney, Interscope and Sony.
Mr Walden has picked up sponsorship and has been touring the country, performing at secondary schools to raise money for the trip to Los Angeles in July.
Leaving school at 17 to pursue a fulltime career in music, he is now cutting his teeth in the big time, meeting last week with Sony BMG in Auckland.
"I'm practically living my dream, I'm practically there," he says. "My goal for the future is just to secure a record deal and start putting my music out there so everybody can enjoy it."
Mr Walden is hoping to market himself to the tough American pop market and says his music idols are Justin Timberlake, Ne-Yo and Omarion.
"My songs are about life stories, just what I've been through, love ballads, whatever."
Dad Craig said his son was the full package, being a singer with the right look for a pop idol, who could write and produce original music.
"This young fella, we've been told, is going to be a huge star."
