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Controversy tainted the last few days of competition but the woman nicknamed a Polynesian Goddess by judge Jackie Clarke rose above all the negative publicity to take out the second series of NZ Idol 2005. Twenty-four year old Aucklander Rosita Via had grown in confidence over the series and was the only singer not to have visited the bottom three (also known as “the stools of doom”) on the nerve wracking results shows screened every Monday evening. From early on she was seen as a contender for the finals, more so after the shock loss of Teresa Bergman who had been widely regarded as the front-runner to take out the title. In the penultimate show Rosita wowed the crowd with Alicia Keyes “How Come You Don’t Call Me” causing judge Frankie Stevens to remark “you do the business”. Fellow finalist Nik Carlson countered with the Luther Van Dross classic “Never Too Much” and had more critical judge Paul Ellis purring “You take songs and make them your own”. The official NZ Idol song “All I Ask” had all the requisite help-me-follow-my-dream lines and the standard ballad101 melody but both singers still managed to give it a different flavour. By this stage of the event the judges were running out of superlatives so trotted out the usual “you have a place in this industry” clichés. The final songs were the contestants’ favourites sung earlier in the series. Rosita repeated “Golden” and Nik finished the show with “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” demonstrating you don’t need to wear tight speedos to develop a worthy falsetto. However on the weekend of the final show music veteran Sir Howard Morrison’s comments that Rosita was “too fat for entertainment” caused a furore. Although he complimented her musicality and voice he tempered this by saying “she is still too heavy and I don’t see a future for her”. However the backlash may have worked in Rosita’s favour garnering a fair amount of sympathy votes. The other major glitch in the proceedings was the fault of Television New Zealand who mistakenly ran a promotion advertisement congratulating Rosita on her win seven hours before the winner was announced. This led to a heated debate as to whether the competition was rigged. However a spokesperson for TVNZ explained that two ads had been recorded congratulating both finalists but one had been run accidentally which was “unfortunate”. Controversy apart the final results night was a red carpet event attended by many local celebrities. The eight eliminated Idol contestants returned to perform a medley of their favourite songs finishing with a spirited rendition of “Shout”. Rosita took the risky Beyonće song “Dangerously In Love” confirming her vocal dexterity while Nik put a good spin on Al Green’s “Lets Stay Together”. 2004 NZ Idol Ben Lummis returned with real life partner and former Idol contestant Sela Mahe to duet with “I’ll Never Say I Love You Again” although most people could be forgiven for not recognising him since he had swopped his trademark pineapple shorn locks for a new hairdo which looked as if he had just stuck his finger in an electrical outlet. Even judges Frankie Stevens and Jackie Clarke contributed a party piece to the show with “Put A Little Love In Your Heart”. Jackie shamelessly mugged the camera while Frankie tried to ignore her and remember that he was once a supporting act for Shirley Bassey in his halcyon days. Interspersed between performances were sound bites from Australian Idol judge Marcia Hines who had guest judged mid series and Prime Minister Helen Clarke, both of whom sent their best wishes. Unfortunately the American Idol judges who had also been roped in for comment seemed to find the idea of New Zealand hosting the show quite hilarious. Simon Cowell asked “Nik and Rosita however did you get to be in the final? Whatever were the others like?” and Randy Jackson berated Cowell and Paula Abdul for “snoring” as he said there was talent way down in New Zealand as “I know those Maoris can blow”. In true Idol tradition host Dominic Bowden drew out the final moments to excrutiating lengths before announcing that Rosita Via was the 2005 NZ Idol. Amidst the cheering she seemed calm and collected not even shedding the obligatory tear. The big prize was a recording contract with Sony BMG under the management of judge Paul Ellis. Rosita’s first single was released the day after the results show and her album was to be recorded within the fortnight after her win with a late October release date. Considering how Ellis had once stated that the rushed album he had made with former Idol Ben Lummis was “crap. The worst album I’ve ever made” you would have thought that he would give his new find a bit more time to compile a CD she could be truly proud of. However Idol isn’t really about music. Like much else in this celebrity driven society it’s more about hype and marketing. If musical ability were the criteria for winning then Teresa Bergman would have been standing on the Idol stage at the end. Rosita can only hope to have a short moment in the sun before her CD and fame are consigned to the bargain bins at The Warehouse. Lets face it whatever happened to Ben Lummis? The 2005 NZ Idol Top Ten Contestants
©Jen Longshaw 2001-2006 Please do not copy in any manner, print or electronic, without permission from the author. Subscribe to a FREE weekly Newsletter. |
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If
a New Zealander asks if you're feeling crook should you be insulted
or touched at his consideration? And why is going to bed with a hottie
no reason to get excited in the Land of the Long White Cloud?
