Stan Walker Named as Judge for the X Factor NZ

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Tuesday 6 November, 2012

Stan Walker Named as Judge for the X Factor NZ

Multi-platinum recording artist Stan Walker will be one of four judges for The X Factor NZ, coming to TV3 in 2013.

MediaWorks made the announcement this morning, as part of the launch of the 2013 programme line-up for TV3 and FOUR. The X Factor NZ host Dominic Bowden was emcee for the event, which saw Stan perform his hit single ‘Choose You’, before turning the stage over to The X Factor USA season one finalist Chris Rene, who sang his hit single ‘Young Homie’.

Stan Walker has sold more than 80,000 albums in New Zealand, with triple platinum sales of his debut album ‘Introducing’ (which also went platinum in Australia) and platinum sales of ‘From The Inside Out’. The Australian Maori singer is a chart-topping pop star across Australasia, with a total of five gold singles, one platinum and one double-platinum in New Zealand alone.

Stan has won five New Zealand Music Awards (including the 2010 People’s Choice Award), has four Australian Music Award nominations, and is currently in the running for the Song of the Year award – all in the three years since the singer had his big break, winning the 2009 season of Australian Idol.

Stan Walker says he knows first-hand how life-changing a show like The X Factor can be. He was working in a Queensland menswear shop and singing in church, when he auditioned for Idol. Now, it’s his turn to help discover and develop new Kiwi talent.

"I know how it feels to stand up in front of judges and how much courage it takes,” Stan says. “I want to encourage anyone who thinks they have what it takes, but is too scared to give it a try, to get up and give it a go.

“Who knows, you may end up the next big recording star – it happened for me.”

Co-executive producer of The X Factor NZ, Andrew Szusterman says the production is excited to have Stan onboard.

“Stan is a triple platinum recording artist who knows how the music industry works today and what you need for chart success.

“He’ll be an ideal mentor for our Kiwi hopefuls, and we’re picking he’s got a few tricks up his sleeve when it comes to competing with the other judges.”

Stan Walker is the first announced Judge for The X Factor NZ. The rest of the four-person judging panel will be revealed in the coming months.

The X Factor NZ is a SYCO owned format and will be co-produced by MediaWorks and FremantleMedia Australia.

For more information, visit TV3.co.nz/thexfactornz or join the conversation at facebook.com/xfactornz.

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