A diverse range of artists and performers are anticipated to participate in New Zealand’s exciting new talent quest.
Singers, dancers, circus acts and other talented individuals are sending in their audition tapes, hoping to be part of the inaugural Armageddon Talent Quest at the Auckland Showgrounds on Saturday, June 3rd 2023.
The huge Auckland Armageddon Expo is best known for its line-up of international and local movie stars, anime artists, and costume-clad cosplayers, with huge halls filled with gaming pavilions and fan merchandise.
Invited are budding local performers to compete on the Logan Campbell Theatre stage for its first national talent quest.
Beyond Reality Media managing director and Armageddon founder William Geradts said The Armageddon Talent Quest had already received showreels from exciting applicants hoping to launch their entertainment careers.
“We know there is incredible talent already attending Armageddon Expo as fans and cosplay performers, but now we’ve created an opportunity for them to show their skills on the main stage, in front of a live audience,” shared Geraldts.
“The showreels we’ve received so far are outstanding, and we know that competition will be intense.”
One early entrant is circus performer Gemma Bradbury-Taylor, who has an acrobatic aerial hoop, silks and foot juggling skills.
Bradbury-Taylor’s eight years’ experience has seen her perform at events including the Auckland music festival and Splore, and she shared that she was delighted to get the opportunity to get on stage in front of the fans and judges, hoping to win enough prize money for her upcoming trip to Japan.
“I’m already a big fan of Armageddon, and it’s really exciting to be able to compete there,” shared Bradbury-Taylor.
Another entrant, the K-Pop dance group Xeraph hopes to win with grace and energy. The five dancers are all students aged 19 to 30, passionate about live performance and already big Armageddon fans.
Ashley Kirkness stated none of Xeraph’s members was Korean, but all are of different ethnicities, covering Malaysia, Singapore, The Cook Islands, a Kiwi of Indian descent, and an Australian.
“We all came together because we love to dance. And then we entered a competition last year and found out that we all vibed and had the same likes when it came to Korean music. So we ended up just dancing together,” Kirkness revealed.
Singer and songwriter Charlotte Jackson is another performer determined to show her stuff to Armageddon fans. The 23-year-old works as a behavioural therapist for kids on the spectrum and is a musician on the side.
Jackson doesn’t like to be pigeonholed in terms of musical style. However, if she had to put a name to it, she would say indie pop and singer and songwriter.
I have been performing live for about two years. I still get nervous about sharing my music, but the rush makes it all worth it. I will perform my original song, ‘ the comedown’,” said Jackson.
Jackson shared that she was excited to get on stage and share her music at Armageddon, remarking that she’d love to win as it could give her a jump start in her career. However, she emphasised that she needed to start her EP, for which she needed funds to record her music.
A talented panel of celebrity judges will be on hand to make the call on who gets the cash prizes, comprising of Karen O’Leary (Wellington Paranormal, The Breaker Uppers, Nude Tuesday, The Eggplant), Mike Minogue (Wellington Paranormal, Hunt for the Wilder People) and Cori Gonzalez-Macuer (7 Days, What We do in the Shadows and Billy T James Award winner).
Judges will award points for performance quality, entertainment value and wow factor. An additional consideration will be awarded for any geek and pop culture elements central to the performance.
Prizes include a first prize of NZD 5,000, 2,500 for 2nd, 1,500 for 3rd, $700 for 4th and $300 for 5th place.
Geradts shared that he’d already been approached by talented individuals wanting to pitch their acts, with a May 14th deadline for entries.
“We’re expecting more than 100 entries from which we’ll select 35 to participate on the day. This will be a fascinating addition to the Auckland Armageddon experience, and we can’t wait to see what talent New Zealand has to offer,” Geradts said.
