Melanie Blatt and Stan Walker to Return for The X Factor NZ   11 Sep 2014

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Thursday 11 September, 2014

TV3 ANNOUNCES MELANIE BLATT AND STAN WALKER TO RETURN FOR THE X FACTOR NZ 2015

MediaWorks TV confirmed today that Melanie Blatt and Stan Walker will return to The X Factor NZ judging panel for the 2015 series.

They will be joined by two further judges who will be announced in the coming weeks.

Co-executive producer of The X Factor NZ, John McDonald is delighted to have both judges back for the new season.

“Melanie and Stan became good mates in season one but theyre also very competitive and were both gutted to lose their acts before the grand final. Theyve both been touring recently with their respective bands so we cant wait to put them together again, especially now that bands can audition for the first time.”

Melanie Blatt is best known as co-founder of the multi-platinum group All Saints, one of the UKs most successful acts of the 90s. Their global album sales exceed 10 million and the group have won many BRIT and MTV Europe Music Awards. Earlier this year, All Saints reformed to join the Backstreet Boys for a UK national arena tour and several festival dates.

Melanie says she is looking forward to returning to New Zealand to discover the next generation of The X Factor contestants.

“Im really excited about returning to New Zealand to work with The X Factor team again and to see all my Kiwi friends. I loved it last time, the place, the people, and I cant wait to see what talent we discover this time around.”

Stan Walker returns to the judging panel after reaching No.3 in the New Zealand charts with his fourth album „Inventing Myself. The album produced several top singles and several hugely successful tours including supporting his idol Beyoncé on her „Mrs. Carter Show World Tour in New Zealand.

“I have had an incredible year since judging The X Factor NZ and I am really stoked that I get another turn on the panel,” he says.

“There are so many hearty Kiwi bands, working hard on the road and in pubs all over New Zealand. Its going to be a mean as competition. They will up the ante!” 2

Melanie Blatt and Stan Walker will be joined by Dominic Bowden who returns as The X Factor NZ host.

For more information visit tv3.co.nz/thexfactornz or join the conversation at https://www.facebook.com/XFactorNZ

About The X Factor NZ

The X Factor NZ is the second localised version of the global television phenomenon format put on the map by music mogul Simon Cowell.

The worlds leading singing talent search, The X Factor has launched numerous internationally successful music careers, including Little Mix, Ella Henderson, Leona Lewis, Reece Mastin and One Direction. Artists discovered by The X Factor format have sold more than 160 million records worldwide, including 170 number ones and 380 top 10 records. In 2010 The X Factor UK series discovered and put together One Direction, who have since sold more than 45 million albums worldwide, achieved 92 #1 hit records winning countless awards across the globe

Locally, the first season of The X Factor NZ launched the music careers of finalists Jackie Thomas, Whenua Patuwai and Benny Tipene who between them have achieved a No.1 gold record, two Top 5 albums, two platinum singles and one gold single.

In 2014, New Zealanders will have the chance to put their singing talent to the test, as The X Factor NZ travels the length and breadth of the country, to discover the next great New Zealand recording artist. The X Factor NZ is open to singers aged 14 and up, solo performers, groups and bands. Contestants who make it through the audition process are split into categories – Boys under 25, Girls under 25, over 25s and the Groups. Bands can audition under the Groups category and must be five members or less with a minimum of two singers. Each category is mentored by one of judges, who will work alongside the contestants as they compete for a prize that includes a recording contract with Sony Music Entertainment New Zealand.

The X Factor NZ is a SYCO Entertainment owned format and is co-produced by MediaWorks and FremantleMedia Australia. NZ on Air is a minority funder of the show.

About Melanie Blatt

As one quarter of the multi award-winning, platinum selling girl group, All Saints Melanie Blatt is instantly recognisable, having established successful music and TV career.

As part of All Saints, Melanie had nine Top 10 singles, two platinum albums and sales in excess of 10 million worldwide. With hits such as 'Pure Shores', „I Know Where Its At and „Never Ever, the group firmly established themselves as pop royalty. Earlier this year, they joined the Backstreet Boys for a UK national arena tour and have several festival dates lined up including V Festival. 3

Outside of the group Melanie has had a successful solo career, including a top ten collaboration with Artful Dodger ('Twenty Four Seven) and many successful TV projects including a judging roll on The X Factor NZ and co-host of „The Hot Desk.

Melanie is also devoted mother to daughter Lily and currently splits her time between London and Ibiza, where she DJs regularly.

About Stan Walker

Stan Walkers career was launched with a bang when he won the seventh and last season of Australian Idol in 2009. Before that, he was working in a Queensland menswear shop and singing in church.

Stan is signed to Sony Music as a recording artist and EMI Publishing as songwriter. He has sold close to 100,000 albums in New Zealand, with triple platinum sales of his debut album „Introducing, platinum sales of „From The Inside Out and gold sales of his 2013 release „Inventing Himself. His most recent single with fellow local talent Ginny Blackmore „Holding You peaked at No.1 in New Zealand.

He has a total of six gold singles, four platinum singles, one double-platinum and one triple platinum single in New Zealand to date. The album, „Introducing also went platinum in Australia, debuting at No 3 in the album charts and „From the Inside Out debuted at No 2 in Australia.

He has won six New Zealand Music Awards: Highest Selling NZ Single (2010), International Achievement Award (2010), NZ On Air Airplay Record of the Year (2010 & 2011), Vodafone Peoples Choice Award (2010) and the NZ On Air Radio Airplay Record of The Year (2013).

Stan made his acting debut in February 2013, playing the lead role of Turei in „Mt Zion then went on to star in Australian comedy short film, „Nerds In Love. Most recently he was announced to star in hip-hop film „Born To Dance directed by Tammy Davis (Outrageous Fortune) which will be filmed in New Zealand from this October.

Born in Melbourne of Tuhoe and Ngati Ranginui descent, he grew up on his Marae, Tamapahore in Tauranga Moana & also in Byron Bay, Australia.

ENDS

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