HOMAI TE PAKIPAKI – WHERE EVERYONE HAS THE CHANCE TO SHINE – ON MAORI TELEVISION!

HOMAI TE PAKIPAKI – WHERE EVERYONE HAS THE CHANCE TO SHINE – ON MAORI TELEVISION!

WEDNESDAY APRIL 14 2010
 

The streets around Maori Television’s Newmarket studio will once again ring with the sound of music as the channel’s most popular Friday night live karaoke show, HOMAI TE PAKIPAKI, returns to air.
 

The show returns with a one-off special of past contestants on Friday April 30 at 8.30 PM, then opens up weekly auditions to wannabe entertainers from May 7.

For the past three years, hopefuls from Kaikohe, Porirua, Hornby, and all points in between, have made the trip to Tamaki Makaurau in the hopes of singing to the nation on the Friday night. Registration begins at 4.30PM and auditions open at 5.00 PM, but it’s not unusual to see some people arriving hours early just to ensure they are the first through the door, such is the interest in the show.
 

HOMAI TE PAKIPAKI producer Erina Tamepo says she hopes the special that kicks of the new season will encourage talented singers off their couches, or out of their showers as the case may be. “The twelve acts we’ve invited back for the opening special encapsulate the spirit of HOMAI TE PAKIPAKI. They’ve come from all around the country, they’re a variety of ages, iwi, backgrounds, experience and singing styles - the one thing they’ve got in common is that they can all really belt it out.”
 

She has no doubt that there is still a wealth of untapped talent just waiting to be discovered.

“I expect to see plenty of fresh faces this time around. I don’t think we’ve seen every singer in the country, although we’ve seen more than a few,” she laughs. ”There’s always this huge sense of anticipation on Friday afternoon, even amongst the most jaded TV types. Who is going to show up today? How will they handle the material, and what bit of magic will we get to see tonight?”
 

Matai Smith (Rongowhakaata, Ngai Tamanuhiri, Ngati Kahungunu) will host the new series while Te Hamua Nikora sees to personal matters. He’s been a fan of the show since it started: “I’ve sat at home and been judge and jury from my spot on the couch. I’ve text in my votes. I’ve also been in the studio audience and felt the fear – and then heard the place erupt when someone really nails it. That’s the beauty, and the danger, of live television. There’s no editing, there’s nowhere to hide, just: boom! You’re on and you’ve got to deliver.”
 

Matai believes the show works best when the singers take classic songs and re-work them, to give them a really personal flavour. “Like Dane Moeke one of the finalists last year. We’ve all heard Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” a thousand  times, but he took it, twisted it, and it was amazing. It’s what Stan Walker did with Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb” or his cover of Beyonce. It’s not enough to mimic good singers, you’ve got to own the song yourself. I want someone to surprise me. Whether it’s with vocal acrobatics, or a totally different tone, make me go, ‘Wow, what was that?’” 

“I love HOMAI TE PAKIPAKI. It’s just so raw, its not fabricated and edited, it’s not slick, but the talent is immense, and that really gets to shine through.”
 

For those who are yet to discover this gem of show, HOMAI TE PAKIPAKI is a live competition, based on audience text votes. Singers perform every week for the chance to win $1000, and heat winners carry on to the semi-finals. If they come through that, then it’s all on, and they’ll get to sing their hearts out in the grand final, with the chance to win $10,000. 

Come join in the fun as the show broadcasts live from Maori Television’s Newmarket studios every Friday night at 8.30 PM. The fourth season begins on Friday April 30, though contestants should hold off until the following week to come and audition.
 

For information on how to enter, visit HOMAI TE PAKIPAKI’s page on Maori Television’s website www.maoritelevision.com

ENDS.

For images, interviews, review tapes or further information, contact:

Merilee Andrews

Kaiwhakaputa (Publicist)

Maori Television

DDI +64 9 539 7092

MOB 021 274 0495
merilee.andrews@maoritelevision.com